Teachers testify in favor of new test score bill

ATLANTA — High stakes student testing is taking center stage at the state Capitol over just how much student test scores should impact teacher evaluations.
 
Several teachers testified Wednesday that 50 percent of their evaluations should not be based solely on test scores.

Several lawmakers agree.   %

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“The testing levels are insane,” said Connie Jackson, president of the Cobb County Association of Educators. “The difference when I started teaching in Cobb in 2002 to now, it has probably quadrupled in the amount of hours we spend testing.

One after another leaders of teacher groups, boards of education and educators themselves thanked lawmakers for the measure.

Under current law, test scores currently make up 50 percent of teacher evaluations and 70 percent for administrators.

Sen. Lindsey Tippins’ bill would make testing 30 percent of a teacher's evaluation and 40 percent for administrators.

“They do not have 50 percent control over their classes, they can't control their resources, they have no control over their curriculum,” said Cobb County teacher Erin Baker.

Baker said the 50 percent rule is driving teachers out of education.

A recent Georgia Department of Education survey found nearly half of teachers who leave the profession within five years cited mandated testing as their top reason.  %

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“This is a way for people to make teachers more accountable than they possibly can be for things that are completely out of their control,” Baker said.

“We're working as hard as we can and you can't put unrealistic goals on us and more over you can't put unrealistic goals on our children,” Jackson said.

The bill passed the Georgia Senate unanimously, mainly because thousands of teachers across the state pushed for it.

There is no word yet on when the bill could go to the floor of the House.

Cox Media Group