Bounce ’em all

Yes, the Education Department has whittled the number of allegedly incompetent or wayward teachers warehoused in rubber rooms to just 220 or so. And, yes, the department and the United Federation of Teachers are resolving the charges lodged against idled instructors a good deal more quickly than they had in the past. But, no, all is not well. Responding to the Daily News’ disclosure that school system was still warehousing a large number of teachers at a cost of $22 million annually, Bloomberg admitted Friday: “I know it’s galling, and it is real money.” He’s got that right. Teachers are removed from classrooms and placed in so-called reassignment centers when administrators conclude that they should not have further contact with children.

Charges are then adjudicated in an extraordinarily unwieldy arbitration process.

Most should be given support assignments, but many pass the time staring at the walls — to the department’s discredit.

The system is so cumbersome that administrators file charges against only a minuscule percentage of instructors and school leaders.

Around 200 educators a year are charged with incompetence or misconduct in any given academic year — a measly one-quarter of 1% of 80,000 teachers and principals.

On the brighter side, when the department does proceed against teachers, its batting average is better than you might expect.

During the 2010-11 school year, the disciplinary system closed 419 misconduct or incompetence cases. Forty-four percent of the targeted teachers and principals got fired or quit.

Departures by those charged with poor performance were particularly prevalent. Roughly 80% left the schools, and the rest were deemed suitable to return to classroom duties.

The lesson for Chancellor Dennis Walcott: File more charges.