Live Blog: Teacher tenure and layoff rules debated at Minnesota Capitol

Follow statehouse reporter Ricardo Lopez for live coverage from the Capitol, where the Senate education committee is debating teacher tenure and layoff rules.

3rd & 7 37yd

Senate education committee starting now. Hearing Sen. Bonoff's teacher seniority bill/House File 2, sponsored by Sen. Pratt #mnleg

by Ricardo Lopez via twitter 3/12/2015 2:41:36 PM
.@Terri_Bonoff says 2 MN teachers of the year were laid off for having less seniority , highlighting "pervasive nature" of LIFO #mnleg

by Ricardo Lopez via twitter 3/12/2015 2:41:39 PM
.@Terri_Bonoff says changing current layoff procedures governed by seniority is a goal supported by Pres. Obama/Education Sec. Arne Duncan

by Ricardo Lopez via twitter 3/12/2015 2:41:43 PM
.@Terri_Bonoff, responding to criticisms that private sector firms moved away from evaluations said Cargill told her: not true #mnleg

by Ricardo Lopez via twitter 3/12/2015 2:41:45 PM
Don Samuels, Minneapolis School Board member, now testifying in support of @Terri_Bonoff's bill to revise teacher seniority rule on layoffs.

by Ricardo Lopez via twitter 3/12/2015 2:41:47 PM
Scoot Croonquist, Assn. of Metro School Districts, also testifying in favor of ending "last in, first out" layoff procedures for teachers

by Ricardo Lopez via twitter 3/12/2015 2:41:51 PM
Tim Alexander, a superintendent at Minnetonka schools, said bill would impact a small # of teachers but would affect a large # of students

by Ricardo Lopez via twitter 3/12/2015 2:41:59 PM
Sorry for typo earlier in Scott Croonquist's name. It's not Scoot.

by Ricardo Lopez via twitter 3/12/2015 2:42:01 PM
Denise Dittrich, of MN School Board Assn. said bill is not intended to get rid of bad teachers but keep effective teachers during layoffs

by Ricardo Lopez via twitter 3/12/2015 2:42:02 PM
30 minutes for @Terri_Bonoff SF 97 are done. Now up: Sen. Pratt who's sponsor of similar House bill carried by @JeniferLoon in lower chamber

by Ricardo Lopez via twitter 3/12/2015 2:42:04 PM
Sen. Pratt going over HF 2 provisions that would ease licensure processes for out-of-state teachers. #mnleg

by Ricardo Lopez via twitter 3/12/2015 2:42:06 PM
Pratt says his staff reviewed contracts, found all are seniority-guided. Some used administrative discrection to break seniority ties #mnleg

by Ricardo Lopez via twitter 3/12/2015 2:42:09 PM
Eli Kramer, exec. director of Hiawatha Academies, sharing his experience as TFA corps member in the Bronx. #mnleg

by Ricardo Lopez via twitter 3/12/2015 2:42:10 PM
Kramer, a MPLS native, said he was disheartened to see the opportunity gaps for low-income, minority children in Minneapolis #mnleg

by Ricardo Lopez via twitter 3/12/2015 2:42:12 PM
For background on LIFO policies, here's my story from last month: startribune.com/politics/state… #mnleg

by Ricardo Lopez via twitter 3/12/2015 2:42:13 PM
.@MinnCAN, which opposes LIFO policies, put out this issue brief today: minncan.org/sites/minncan.… #mnleg

by Ricardo Lopez via twitter 3/12/2015 2:42:15 PM
Marika Pfefferkorn, African American Leadership Forum, said she supports HF2 because it would help diversify teacher workforce #mnleg

by Ricardo Lopez via twitter 3/12/2015 2:42:19 PM
by Ricardo Lopez via twitter 3/12/2015 2:42:22 PM
.@dsellers22 sharing stories of experienced, qualified out-of-state teachers who tried to navigate confusing licensing process in MN #mnleg

by Ricardo Lopez via twitter 3/12/2015 2:42:23 PM
Willmar schools this week said it would layoff about 100 non-tenured teachers because of $1-million budget shortfall wctrib.com/news/local/369…

by Ricardo Lopez via twitter 3/12/2015 2:42:25 PM
Josh Davis, NeuroLeadership Institute, traveled to MN from NY to testify on research that says evaluations/labels hurts morale #mnleg

by Ricardo Lopez via twitter 3/12/2015 2:42:27 PM
More on NeuroLeadership Institute: neuroleadership.com/about/ #mnleg

by Ricardo Lopez via twitter 3/12/2015 2:42:28 PM
Josh Davis: "When there's any kind of threat [low evaluation rating] to our status... it's very hard to concentrate." Could affect teachers.

by Ricardo Lopez via twitter 3/12/2015 2:42:29 PM
I have a feeling few senators on Ed Committee are familiar with neuroscience/brain anatomy #mnleg

by Ricardo Lopez via twitter 3/12/2015 2:42:30 PM
FYI, the reason expert testifying against evaluations is because layoffs, under HF2, SF97, would be linked to reviews required by 2011 law

by Ricardo Lopez via twitter 3/12/2015 2:42:32 PM
Education Minnesota, state teachers union, says HF2/SF 97 would pit teachers against teachers, discourage collaboration #mnleg

by Ricardo Lopez via twitter 3/12/2015 2:42:33 PM
Josh Davis has just wrapped his testimony. Questions to come at about 10:30 Sen. Wiger, education comm. chair says #mnleg

by Ricardo Lopez via twitter 3/12/2015 2:45:29 PM
Erin Doan, representing Board of Teaching, which issues licenses, testifying against HF 2. Says its licensure changes go too far. #mnleg

by Ricardo Lopez via twitter 3/12/2015 3:20:51 PM
Questions up now

by Ricardo Lopez via twitter 3/12/2015 3:27:17 PM
Sen. Roger Chamberlain, R-Lino Lakes, with first question

by Ricardo Lopez via twitter 3/12/2015 3:27:34 PM
Chamberlain: Is it your contention that competition and collaboration cannot work together?

by Ricardo Lopez via twitter 3/12/2015 3:27:55 PM
Derek Olson, MN teacher of the year, -- In many situations, collaboration and competition can work together

by Ricardo Lopez via twitter 3/12/2015 3:28:21 PM
Olson says teachers have asked: "Why would I help people when it's my job on the line?" Says evals used in layoffs would kill collaboration

by Ricardo Lopez via twitter 3/12/2015 3:29:47 PM
Chamberlin, holding up his smartphone, says collaboration and competition go "hand-in-hand" and created his phone and iPhone #mnleg

by Ricardo Lopez via twitter 3/12/2015 3:31:57 PM
Olson pushes back and says analogy falls short because Apple competed with other phonemakers #mnleg

by Ricardo Lopez via twitter 3/12/2015 3:32:39 PM
Sen. LeRoy Stumpf, DFL-Plummer, says half of school districts don't have the funds to carry out their evaluation requirements #mnleg

by Ricardo Lopez via twitter 3/12/2015 3:33:49 PM
More on funding disparities for evaluation plans. Here's my story on task force recommendations: startribune.com/politics/state… #mnleg

by Ricardo Lopez via twitter 3/12/2015 3:34:29 PM
Sen. Patricia Torres Ray has question for bill author Sen. Terri Bonoff

by Ricardo Lopez via twitter 3/12/2015 3:35:29 PM
Torres Ray says what hasn't been addressed is how to support new teachers, and says conversation hasn't addressed how to examine eval data

by Ricardo Lopez via twitter 3/12/2015 3:36:30 PM
Question -- knowing that teachers, et al... say we need is an induction system for new teachers, please tell me where seniority fits. #mnleg

by Ricardo Lopez via twitter 3/12/2015 3:37:54 PM
Wiger, comm. chair, cuts Torres Ray off to say to hold her question till later. Other senators have Q's too #mnleg

by Ricardo Lopez via twitter 3/12/2015 3:38:30 PM
Sen. Kevin Dahle, a longtime educator, says we have been feeling under attack. The profession is constantly disrespected, he says #mnleg

by Ricardo Lopez via twitter 3/12/2015 3:39:28 PM
Dahle says this is a profession where if you put your time in, you can earn enough to raise a family. #mnleg

by Ricardo Lopez via twitter 3/12/2015 3:40:24 PM
Dahle says you have to have teacher buy-in to stand any chance to reform seniority laws

by Ricardo Lopez via twitter 3/12/2015 3:41:44 PM
Sen. Mary Kiffmeyer was going to direct questions to Don Samules, MPS school board member, but he had to depart hearing early #mnleg

by Ricardo Lopez via twitter 3/12/2015 3:42:29 PM

StarTribune

Live Blog: Teacher tenure and layoff rules debated at Minnesota Capitol

Follow statehouse reporter Ricardo Lopez for live coverage from the Capitol, where the Senate education committee is debating teacher tenure and layoff rules.