You can’t say it more plainly than that so I reprinted the headline from this NY Times article.
Apparently NYC already uses test scores as a factor in teacher/principal bonus pay (yes, they have that too), for the grade a school gets (A-F) and for which schools are closed because of poor performance. A lot of this effort is to get Race to the Top money.
The article suggests that the Mayor (he just won his third term despite having said he would follow the law that he couldn’t run again – he got that changed) may put forth his political capital to take on the teachers union.
And from the article of interest to us:
“The mayor also said the state should allow teacher layoffs based on performance rather than seniority, as they are now.”
This trend similar to what Virginia’s SOL testing is coming to frightens me. The reason is because soon teachers will only want to work with those students who come from wealthy families, who speak only English, who have money for nice clothes and healthy breakfasts, who can afford computers at home. It takes talent and dedication to help those who have less rise to their potential. Please, Mr. Mayor, get out of the way, and stay out of the way.