Board of Education Votes to Challenge Evaluation Deadline

The unanimously agreed to take part in a legal challenge to a looming July 1 deadline of New York State's mandated teacher evaluations.

The proposal authorized the district's lawyers to pursue "judicial review of and/or challenge of" the state's A dozen or more Long Island school districts are expected to join the challenge to the state's mandate, which is tied to a financial aid package. Some upstate school districts are also likely to join the legal battle.

That legal issues are complicated, because the state has required all school districts outside of New York City to have a teacher/administrator evaluation process in place by July 1. If a new policy isn't submitted to the state Department of Education by then, district's lose a specified amount of state aid.

In Plainview's case, the amount is $300,000, school officials said. In many cases, issues such as teacher evaluations are subject to collective bargaining, and therefore, take time. The deadline, school officials say, is unrealistic.

The legal teams are discussing their options, especially requesting a delay in the implementation of the state's deadline. The loss of the state revenue far outweighs the legal costs, board members said.

say a statewide evaluation system is unworkable and doesn't reflect the widespread diversity and differing challenges faced by different school districts.

Proponents of new evaluations have argued that the results of test scores are indications of a teacher's effectiveness.