(ALBANY, NEW YORK) – New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) President Melinda Person has released the following statement in response to Governor Kathy Hochul signing into law S9054/A9849, which will fix the onerous Annual Professional Performance Review System 14 years after its enactment: 

700,000 NYSUT Members are celebrating a victory that will transform classrooms across New York.

After more than a decade-long fight, the State is finally returning Teacher and principal evaluations to local control. 

This is about restoring the daily joy of teaching and learning, and it is about evaluating our Educators like the professionals they are.

We thank the Governor for signing this law, which rejects a punitive, test-focused model, and embraces the creativity, growth and career development that is vital for healthy schools. 

It would not have been possible without the resolute advocacy of our Members, our legislative allies and our statewide education partners.

Together we raised our voices to make momentous change, and together we will continue to support the essential work of educating the next generation. 

The current evaluation system was enacted in 2010 and substantially altered in the 2015-2016 State Budget, NYSUT said.

That system relies on student performance measures on Grades 3-8 English Language Arts (ELA) and math assessments and a punitive, one-size-fits-all rubric to rate Educators.  

The new system will allow School Districts and BOCES to negotiate their own performance review plans with Local Bargaining Units, NYSUT said.

The plans will not be required to use student performance measures.

The plans must be approved by the State Education Department according to multiple measures aligned with State Teaching and Leadership Standards.  

Districts and BOCES (Board of Cooperative Educational Services) will have eight years to transition to the new system, which will better serve Educators, students, parents, and school communities.  

To Directly Access This Labor News Report, Go To: Governor signs bill reforming Annual Professional Performance Review (APPR) system, finally ending test-and-punish evaluation model (nysut.org)