Easing Dismissals and Non-Renewals - school administration and employee management

School Administrator, Oct, 2000 by Suzanne R. Painter

Contractual Constraints

* Remove contract handcuffs.

"In some districts the teachers' agreement is very restrictive in terms of giving latitude to the administration to make decisions about marginal teachers."

Many principals, like the one expressing this view, cite the contract and union representatives as the greatest barriers to effective evaluation. It is incumbent upon those involved in negotiating the contract to pay attention to contract provisions that cover evaluation-related procedures, including provisions that address the handling of complaints, the contents of personnel folders and just cause.

Make sure you understand the implications of such language before agreeing to it. If you already have contract provisions that affect evaluation, work to limit their effects in future negotiations. When explaining the contract provisions to principals, emphasize what they can do rather than emphasizing restrictions. Principals who hear horror stories of contract violations leading to the overturning of teacher dismissals are unlikely to be empowered. An attitude that emphasizes that the task can be done is far more productive.

* Provide social and emotional support.

Principals often express their discomfort and regret over disrupted personal relationships when a teacher is placed on intensive supervision. As one said: "You are always surprised how popular a teacher becomes when you begin the dismissal process and how unpopular you become."

Remember that principals will receive little observable support from their own school staffs if they take on the task of intensive supervision of a teacher. Their primary adult contacts everyday are with the staff members in their buildings, and they off en are tightly woven into the social fabric of the school. Engaging in intensive supervision disrupts the social structure and is cited by principals as a reason to avoid serious attempts to improve low-performing teachers. Central-office administrators cannot replace that network but can provide their own personal support to administrators in this situation.

The Payoff

Considering the attitudes and beliefs of administrators about the likely results of their work in teacher evaluation is key to providing the support they need. A combination of coherent training and support for building administrators may empower them to confront the unpleasant task of working with marginal teachers and benefit everyone in the long run.

The key is looking at the barriers from the principals' viewpoint and responding to their needs rather than assuming that the barriers are solely procedural. Remember that deep-seated change takes time but produces the real reform that is necessary for improving instruction. This is as true for principals as it is for teachers.

Suzanne Painter is an assistant professor, College of Education, Arizona State University