Evers Calls for Change to Educator Effectiveness Law

(News Release) -- State Superintendent Tony Evers issued a statement asking for change in state law to minimize the use of state summative assessment results in the evaluation of educators through the Educator Effectiveness System.

“As I visit districts across Wisconsin, everyone tells me there is too much emphasis on standardized tests. I agree. The new federal education law, the Every Student Succeeds Act, gives states the option to use local data in place of state test results in the Educator Effectiveness System. I believe Wisconsin should seize that opportunity.

“One of the most important factors for a kid is having a skilled, empowered educator leading their classroom. The goal of Wisconsin’s Educator Effectiveness System is to help our teachers improve their professional practice. Wisconsin has made great strides to ensure this evaluation system provides meaningful feedback. But our schools teach everything from Mandarin to robotics and an annual standardized test cannot capture all that learning.

“The department has been working to reduce the testing burden on kids, their teachers, and their schools. I see this as the next logical step and frankly, it’s the right thing to do.”