‘Let teachers teach bill’: Education system overhaul clears Kentucky Senate

Published 8:45 am Thursday, February 18, 2016

FRANKFORT — It’s certain to receive a cold welcome in the Democratic-controlled House, but the Republican-controlled Senate Wednesday passed a major overhaul of Kentucky’s education assessment system on largely party-line votes.

No Democrat voted for the measure; one Republican, Brandon Smith of Hazard, voted no citing feedback from teachers in his district and another Republican, C.B. Embry passed.

Sponsor Mike Wilson, R-Bowling Green, calls the bill the “let teachers teach bill,” and he says it’s supported by most teachers who tell him they’re buried under an avalanche of reporting requirements and paperwork.

Democratic Sen. Gerald Neal of Louisville said the bill is too massive, contains unknowns and politicizes the setting of Kentucky’s academic standards.

He submitted a floor amendment which would have replaced Wilson’s bill and established a task force to study progress since the last major education reform, championed in the same Republican Senate in 2009.

But his amendment failed on strict party lines 27-11.

Wilson’s bill returns much of the responsibility for establishing learning standards, student assessment, school improvement, and teacher development to local districts — diverging from a basic premise of the 1990 Kentucky Education Reform Act which was passed to address wide discrepancies in funding and performance between rich and poor districts.

The nearly 90-page bill would also allow local districts to evaluate teachers, recommend learning standards to a statewide board of political appointees, and measure school performance against only demographically similar schools rather than all schools across the state.

That’s another change from the last education reform, also begun in the Republican Senate and passed in 2009. That bill required fewer but more rigorous academic standards and required nationally used standardized tests so results could be compared to other states.

Sen. Reggie Thomas, D-Lexington, criticized the concept of measuring schools in “bands” as Wilson’s bill describes them. Thomas said the top 20 performing schools in the state might find themselves in the same band, competing with each other “and somebody is going to finish 20.”

But instead of being recognized as the 20th best school in the state, it’ll be viewed as the worst school in its band of schools, he said. Conversely, Thomas said, poorly performing schools, measured against only other poorly performing schools might score well enough to mislead parents about the quality of education they provide.

The state panel which would review the learning standards would be made up of three appointees each by the governor, President of the Senate and Speaker of the House plus the state Education Commissioner.

Neal criticized the “politicization” of the panel and noted that while it is to review the recommendations and send them back to local districts if it finds them inadequate, when it ultimately recommends the changes to the state board, that board “shall” implement the changes.

Nonetheless, Wilson received support from some unexpected places. Terry Brooks of the Kentucky Youth Advocates issued a statement saying SB 1 represents “fundamental change,” transparency and putting a priority on local teacher leadership and will lead to better prepared high school graduates.

During the debate, Neal said he doesn’t understand the urgency or need for Wilson’s bill. He said since the 2009 legislation, Kentucky schools have climbed from 49th in the nation to 27th and in one index as high as 8th.

But Wilson and other Republicans pointed to the continuing achievement gaps between white and minority children and affluent and poor students and a flat rate of college admissions.

And while Wilson read emails and letters from teachers who support his bill, others voted no because, they said, teachers in their districts don’t support the bill. That included Brandon Smith, R-Hazard. Sen. C.B. Embry, R-Morgantown, passed. No Democrat voted for the bill.

Several Democrats complained the bill de-emphasizes the arts. It originally did away with social studies standards, but Wilson amended the bill through a floor amendment to restore those.

House Education Committee Chairman Derrick Graham, D-Frankfort, has said the bill will face tough questions in the House.

Graham, a retired teacher, said teachers he’s talked to don’t like the bill.

“Most educators across the state still don’t know what is in it,” Graham said. “And I haven’t met any educators as of yet — whether administrator or teacher — who say they support the bill.”

RONNIE ELLIS writes for CNHI News Service and is based in Frankfort. Reach him at rellis@cnhi.com. Follow CNHI News Service stories on Twitter at www.twitter.com/cnhifrankfort.