Red flags are being raised on an education bill
pending in the state House of Delegates with less than a month remaining in the
2014 Regular Legislative Session.
The purpose of HB 4394, as stated,
is “to improve the process for employing highly qualified professional
personnel in the public schools.”
However, Del. Paul Espinosa
(R-Jefferson, 66) said a close reading of the bill showed it could lead to the
reversal of provisions in the comprehensive education reform bill the
Legislature approved last year dealing with how seniority is weighted in
teacher hires, compared with other hiring factors, along with the involvement
of teachers and principals in the hiring process.
“It quickly became apparent that
this was an attempt to, basically, gut a key provision that really empowered,
not only principals and superintendents, but — for the first time — really gave
faculty, in their schools, a say in who joins their team,” said Espinosa.
He said a lot of people are
concerned about what’s in the bill.
Overall, the proposal would make
changes to ensure that positions filled by retirees and not fully qualified
teachers are posted statewide so they’re easily available to new graduates and
reduction in force teachers who are seeking employment; allow capable teachers
to more easily obtain certification in additional content areas; ensure
teachers and principals consider certain applicant qualifications for
employment; and limit the movement of professional personnel to other counties
when the instructional year has started.
The lead sponsor of the bill was
Del. Mary Poling (D-Barbour, 47), the chair of the House Education
Committee. The proposal was still pending in the House Education
Committee on Monday.
