A JUDGE IN SANTA FE IS REFUSING TO DISMISS A LAWSUIT CHALLENGING NEW MEXICO’S TEACHER EVALUATION SYSTEM. ELLEN BERNSTEIN, THE PRESIDENT OF THE ABQ TEACHERS FEDERATION, SAYS THE EVALUATION SYSTEM IS FLAWED AND FULL OF ERRORS. SHE SAYS TEACHERS HAVE BEEN GETTING BACK EVALUATIONS THAT SAY IT’S BASED ON TEST SCORES OF STUDENTS THEY NEVER TAUGHT IN SUBJECTS THEY DON’T TEACH.
UNDER THE SYSTEM, UP TO HALF OF A TEACHER’S EVALUATION IS BASED ON STUDENT TEST SCORES.
THE STATE PUBLIC EDUCATION DEPARTMENT HAD ASKED THAT THE LAWSUIT BE DISMISSED. IT SAYS THE ISSUE HAS ALREADY BEEN DECIDED BY PREVIOUS COURT CASES.
