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Ex-Denver Mayor, Others Back Teacher Tenure Change

Friday, April 23 2010

KUSA NBC Denver 9
By: Jeffrey Wolf
April 23rd, 2010

DENVER (AP) - Former Denver mayor Federico Pena and philanthropist and former University of Denver Chancellor Dan Ritchie testified Thursday in favor of change to Colorado's teacher tenure law.

They spoke during a hearing before the Senate Education Committee, along with superintendents from the Denver, Aurora and Harrison school districts. Gov. Bill Ritter and three former governors - two Democrats and one Republican - are also supporting the legislation, aimed at helping the state win $175 million in federal funding for education reform.

"Today we're losing over 50 percent of Hispanic students and others around the state with the system we have today," Pena said.

The measure would only allow teachers who have improved student performance for three straight years to earn tenure. Teachers who already have job protections could lose them if their students fail to show progress for two straight years.

Principals would also be judged based on how both their students and teachers are doing. They would have to evaluate their teachers yearly, something which both supporters and opponents of the bill say most principals don't have time to do now.

Currently, teachers can get tenure status after three years in a the classroom, and it's difficult and costly to dismiss any teachers later found to be ineffective.

Sen. Mike Johnston, D-Denver, and Sen. Nancy Spence, R-Centennial, originally proposed imposing the new standards starting next year. Teachers argued that was too soon since a panel appointed by Ritter is still coming up with the details on how officials would determine whether students were making progress.

Johnston and Spence have since proposed waiting until 2013 to change the standard for earning tenure. The process of losing tenure wouldn't start until 2014.

The Colorado Education Association is concerned that any teachers who lose tenure wouldn't have a right to challenge their dismissal as they do now.

Some teachers support the bill but others fear they don't have the adequate resources or time to help the children who need it the most.