Chairman Miller Statement on AFT Plan to Improve Teacher Evaluations
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, issued the following statement today after Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) announced a new plan for teacher evaluations and development.
“No other factor matters as much to students’ success in school than the effectiveness of their teachers. If we are serious about regaining our global competitiveness, we need a seismic shift in the way we think about teachers, treat teachers, and partner with teachers. President Weingarten is right: We have to demand excellence in our classrooms, which begins with a teacher evaluation and development system based on multiple measures, including good data, student achievement and stronger support for educators. And we must encourage school leaders and unions to work together, so that teachers’ voices are heard. I’m glad to see AFT is prepared to set the bar high and I look forward to working with them and other key stakeholders as we continue the critical work of improving our schools – and improving opportunities for all of America’s children.”
Miller has been a longtime champion of legislation to help elevate and strengthen the teaching profession. He is the lead author of several bills to help improve teacher training, recruitment and support programs. Most recently, he helped craft the education provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which provides $200 million in funding for school districts to reward educators for outstanding performance or for taking on additional responsibilities and leadership roles and invests $100 million to address teacher shortages and modernize the teaching workforce.
He is also the author of the College Cost Reduction and Access Act, which provides up-front tuition assistance of $4,000 each year – for a maximum of $16,000 – for college students who commit to teaching in high need public schools or high need subject areas.
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