A state-imposed deadline for having a teacher-evaluation plan in place has come and gone, leaving New York City as one of a handful of districts not to meet the deadline—potentially imperiling some $250 million in state education aid.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, had made about $800 million in additional state aid contingent on districts and unions approving teacher-evaluation plans that would meet the requirements of new state laws and regulations, as well as the state’s $700 million Race to the Top grant.
Negotiators worked up until the Jan. 17 deadline trying to secure a deal, but none was forthcoming.
The United Federation of Teachers is blaming Mayor Michael Bloomberg for “torpedoing” an agreement it says district negotiators signed off on in the wee morning hours. But Mr. Bloomberg has disputed that, GothamSchools reported, saying that the UFT wanted a “sunset clause” that would require the whole agreement to be renegotiated in two years—perhaps before any teachers were subject to adverse action based on the reviews.
