Union asks state to order mediation in evaluation talks

UFT President Michael Mulgrew on Jan. 13 announced that the union has filed an impasse petition with the state’s Public Employment Relations Board (PERB). If PERB finds that an impasse exists, it will appoint a mediator and force the city to participate in attempts to reach a new agreement on the teacher evaluation process.

“The union played a key role in creating a new teacher evaluation model, and we have been working to finalize its details. But the city and the Department of Education, apparently unhappy that they couldn’t get everything their way, walked out on the talks last week. We are asking the state’s Public Employment Relations Board to find that an impasse exists in these talks, and to appoint a mediator who can bring the city back to the table,” Mulgrew said.

“A new teacher evaluation system that provides a mechanism for all teachers to improve is critical for our schools and our kids. We stand ready to negotiate. What are the city and Department of Education afraid of?” he added.

The current teacher evaluation system consists of two categories: Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory. Under the new proposed system, this would be expanded to four categories: Highly Effective, Effective, Developing and Ineffective. The new system would make it easier for teachers to identify their strengths and weaknesses and improve their skills.

As the UFT notes in its filing to PERB: “The mayor’s and the chancellor’s statements make clear that the nature of the issues is so fundamental that the parties will be unable to reach agreement without assistance. Even more problematic, the delay occasioned by the DOE’s walk-out is depriving the system of funding that would assist students in struggling schools… the UFT asks that PERB promptly declare an impasse and permit the remaining issues to proceed to fact finding on an expedited basis, with the hope that, once these last items are resolved, funding can be restored.

“Our schools and our kids deserve a highly trained and professional workforce. But rather than seeing the new system as a tool for professional growth, the city and Department of Education have insisted that it be used as a threat mechanism for both teachers and principals, and has refused to permit any kind of appeal process that could safeguard people from the whims of DOE bureaucrats.

“The DOE’s refusal to negotiate this issue, and its repeated statements to us that would never overturn a supervisor’s rating on an issue of substance, is a direct violation of state education law.

“I hope that with the assistance of the state, we can come back to the table and reach an agreement that works for kids, rather than continue a pointless battle driven by Mayor Bloomberg’s ideological agenda.”