Why are we at Brown?
Ideally, we are here because we share a deep passion for learning. Perhaps we seek to translate our experiences from the classroom and apply them in a meaningful contribution to society. At the very least, we realize the financial and social worth of being educated. This appreciation of education, however, is not innate. Rather, it's developed through our experiences with those who directly influence us: our parents, peers and, most importantly, our mentors.
But what if some teachers aren't fit to inspire? What if they lack the proper resources and training to instill this appreciation of education to their students? Rhode Island, a state that harbors these problems, is going through a public education overhaul to better ensure that teachers perform their jobs at optimal levels. Through Race to the Top, a $75 million federal grant that provides states with funding to reform their underperforming educational systems, Rhode Island will undergo a series of educational reforms, including a new teacher evaluation system. This evaluation system, which was first implemented at the beginning of this school year, will ideally place more accountability on teachers to exhibit concrete, data-driven performance based on their students' achievements. While this may imply increased pressure for the teachers to succeed, it is a necessary measure that will help bring Rhode Island above sea level in terms of public education.
Public school teachers in Rhode Island have experienced an extremely tumultuous couple of years. Most of them endured the infamous "pink slip" ordeal, and it is therefore no surprise that these teachers have greeted the new evaluation system with mixed feelings. The new evaluation systems also have several faults that could be problematic for teachers. By tying a teacher's efficiency rating to his or her completion of "personal student learning objectives," teachers have strong incentives to simplify these objectives so that they can be met with less effort. In addition, by not taking socioeconomic background, race or home environment of the student into account, these evaluations assume that the teacher is the only variable by which a student does or does not do well in school.
However, we must also consider that the state education system itself is in a slump - this is the reason why we're in Race to the Top in the first place. By at least taking accountability for its teachers, Rhode Island can identify the key source of its underperforming education system. The state currently ranks 32nd in the country for student achievement, while being in the top 10 for spending per student. The establishment of the new teacher evaluation system along with Race to the Top funding should ensure that teachers not only have the resources to better teach their students, but also that they use these resources in an efficient manner.
Rhode Island has also started a well-timed campaign called "I Pledge," which encourages students, parents, teachers and ordinary citizens to pledge to "commit to education in Rhode Island." By encouraging and recognizing the value of education, Rhode Island is taking positive steps to escape the limelight of academic underperformance.
While this sort of statewide commitment to education may certainly turn up the pressure, we think that Rhode Island teachers will also benefit from the support that they will receive and will be able to make a good case for improving their benefits if they feel the need to do so. After all, these teachers have one of the biggest responsibilities in the state - to save the state's knowledge economy.
Editorials are written by The Herald's editorial page board. Send comments to editorials@browndailyherald.com.
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