JEFFCO FOLLOWS OWN TEACHER RATING RULES

Jeffco Public Schools is not following a timeline laid out in state law to gauge teacher performance, calling it a flawed process for taking action against ineffective teachers.

Colorado’s second-largest school district, however, says it believes its practice of waiting longer to finalize teacher evaluations so it can consider the latest state test results is in line with the intent of the state’s educator effectiveness law, known as Senate Bill 191.

The law, which was passed in 2010, changed the way teachers earn job protections. Instead of earning tenure after three years of employment, the law says teachers must have three consecutive years of effective ratings. Teachers who earn two consecutive ineffective ratings can be stripped of that status.

The district “has not, and likely will not, revoke nonprobationary status due solely to” Senate Bill 191, district leaders say.

Spokeswoman Diana Wilson said Jefferson County aims to quickly help its struggling teachers improve; 94 of its nearly 5,000 teachers were on a performance improvement plan in 2016-17.