Teacher Seniority

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Law & Courts Opinion Vergara Decision Feeds Testing and Teacher Turnover
The Vergara decision feeds into our societal obsession with test scores, and propels us towards schools with even less stability, and higher turnover.
Anthony Cody, June 14, 2014
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7 min read
Teaching Profession Los Angeles Settlement on Teacher Layoffs Ducks the Seniority Question
A settlement in Los Angeles over teacher layoffs does not alter the place of seniority in such decisions.
Stephen Sawchuk, April 9, 2014
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2 min read
Teaching Profession Fate of California Teacher-Protection Rules Now in Hands of Judge
Lawyers presented their closing arguments in the fractious Vergara v. California teacher-protection lawsuit.
Stephen Sawchuk, March 28, 2014
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1 min read
Teaching Profession Philadelphia Will Skirt Seniority in Staffing
Philadelphia's superintendent has imposed new rules for the upcoming school year that will allow principals to disregard seniority as the sole criteria in hiring and assignment decisions.
Stephen Sawchuk, March 25, 2014
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1 min read
Teaching Profession Revisions to Seniority-Based Layoffs Eyed in Newark
Newark's Cami Anderson wants the Christie administration to waive the state's reverse-seniority layoff requirements.
Stephen Sawchuk, February 25, 2014
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1 min read
School & District Management Opinion John Thompson: As Due Process for Teachers is Removed, Secret Files and Blacklists Return
Mutual consent began as a part of the assault on seniority and it requires teachers who, through no fault of their own, had to transfer to another school to get approval from the receiving school's principal in order to transfer.
Anthony Cody, February 2, 2014
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4 min read
Teaching Profession Contours of Calif. Teacher-Protection Suit Take Shape
Highlights from opening statements in the Vergara v. California trial.
Stephen Sawchuk, January 28, 2014
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4 min read
Teaching Profession High-Profile California Lawsuit on Teacher Protections Begins
A pathbreaking and controversial trial on teacher protections begins this week in Los Angeles, with implications for policies on teacher seniority, tenure, and dismissal.
Stephen Sawchuk, January 27, 2014
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6 min read
Teaching Profession Opinion California Lawsuit Attacks Teacher Rights
California's voters may be overruled by the courts, if reformers Eli Broad and David Welch have their way. These billionaires have funded a new non-profit called Students Matter to fight the battle. The lawsuit claims that students are harmed when their teachers have due process and seniority protections.
Anthony Cody, January 26, 2014
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3 min read
Equity & Diversity Opinion Union-Led Reform Project in California Shares Lessons
If you were to think of the key things that you would want to do to support learning at high poverty schools, what would be on your list?
Anthony Cody, November 15, 2013
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2 min read
Teaching Profession Commission Suspends Philadelphia Teacher-Staffing, -Pay Rules
Philadelphia plans to suspend some teacher seniority and pay provisions as it rehires staff through a $50 million borrowing scheme.
Stephen Sawchuk, August 16, 2013
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1 min read
Teaching Profession Opinion Alice Mercer: Veteran Teachers Not a Priority in High Priority Schools
The salient point is that in addition to making these schools a priority, the staffing at these schools underwent a change that now has created swiss-cheese-like holes in our teaching contracts. You see, the schools are allowed to hire teachers outside the district surplus process, and only have to take surplus teachers they want. Open positions at "priority schools" are not on the district's list of available positions at the surplus meeting. They've made a practice of picking up the least senior teachers, and even brand-new hires from outside the district. This has occurred while elementary teachers with up to 7 years of seniority are still out of work. In addition, they are exploiting a little-used provision of the State Education Code saying these teachers have "specialized training" that other teachers lack, and should be "skipped" in layoffs. That has exacerbated the entire lay-off process as teachers at priority schools with less than 5 years of seniority have never gotten a pink-slip, while teachers with up to 8 years of seniority have, and those with seven never returned
Anthony Cody, May 28, 2013
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4 min read
Teaching Profession Within Schools, Novice Teachers Paired With Struggling Students
Novice and minority teachers tended to be assigned the lowest-achieving students in their schools, according to a new research study.
Stephen Sawchuk, May 1, 2013
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2 min read
Teaching Profession R.I. Chief: Districts Must End Seniority Hiring, Transfer
R.I.'s commissioner put districts on notice that hiring and transfer processes contravene state law.
Stephen Sawchuk, February 4, 2013
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1 min read
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