New evaluation system for Louisiana teachers raises concerns

LOUISIANA (KLFY)-- Changes to the Louisiana Educator Rubric are leaving teachers concerned about being graded on their extracurricular activities.

Involvement in school activities and events will affect teachers' scores according to the new professionalism guidelines on the state's evaluation rubric.

Educators are evaluated each year on their performance, and their score often determines if they receive a stipend. Teachers said the state's new evaluation system is making it harder to receive a high score.

"I think there's a place for extracurricular, and there's a place to reward it," said Willie Singleton-Guillory with the St. Landry Federation of Teachers and School Employees. "It is not on a teacher evaluation."

Singleton-Guillory said this could make teachers' morale low, especially first-year teachers.

"Once you've done the planning for lessons for the week, the implementation of lessons, the evaluating of lessons, the reteaching, and so forth, there's not enough left in you to do a lot of other things," Singleton-Guillory said. "You've given all that you can give, especially if you're passionate about the subject that you teach."

She also said the critical teaching shortage, combined with non-certified educators and the new evaluation tool will make for a difficult school environment.

"A trial run with this evaluation process could make the difference between leaving or staying in the educational field," Singleton-Guillory said. "I still think education is a noble field. It's a rewarding field. We like to try and keep great people in public education because our children deserve the best."

The St. Landry Federation of Teachers and School Employees told News Ten that parishes have the choice to implement the new evaluation system this year or to opt for a trial run, using the rubric as practice for next school year.

Lafayette Parish and Evangeline Parish are implementing the new evaluations this year, while Jefferson Davis Parish is opting for the trial run.

Latest News