Legislation might not affect Duval teachers

By Thomas B. Pfankuch
Times-Union staff writer

The Florida Legislature passed laws in the spring designed to speed the process of weeding bad teachers out of the classroom.

But it's unclear to administrators and union leaders if the legislation will have a significant effect on Duval County schools.

The law, which takes effect in the upcoming school year, gives teachers who are deemed unsatisfactory 90 days to improve their performance or face dismissal. Now, teachers are given a year or more.

The new legislation also forces the state's 67 school districts to create teacher evaluation systems that tie teacher reviews to student performance. The legislation says districts will allow for parents to be a part of the teacher evaluation process.

Florida Education Commissioner Frank Brogan said the changes to the evaluation system are the most significant in decades.

''I really believe that law will drive dramatic change . . . into the evaluation and review process for Florida's teachers,'' Brogan said.

But Andy Ford, president of the Duval County teachers union, said the changes might not affect the teacher evaluation process in Duval as much as in other Florida districts.

Duval schools operate under a tenure system that gives teachers more protection. Ford said he is unsure how the new process will work.

''There's still some questions whether it starts on the day you get your evaluation or on the first day of the next school year,'' he said.

The 90-day improvement period for Duval teachers might begin after a teacher is transferred out of the school where the teacher received the poor evaluation, he said. But union and school officials won't be sure until they review the legislation, Ford said.