Governor Cuomo's Outside Observers Arrive for Practice Observations

Governor Cuomo was sadly disappointed that 98%+ of the NY State's teachers could be rated effective when passing rates on the new Common Core tests have been closer to 35%.  His teacher evaluation system failed to turn out the numbers for which he had hoped.  Time to go back to the lab and find a better formula.

Thus, Cuomo suggested reducing the input of school principals, the people who know teachers best, to 15%.  The input of outside observers sent by the State would then count for 35%.  The largely failing scores of students on high-stakes tests would account for the other 50%.  Such a formula (or brew) might be able to work miracles in a witch hunt.    

Amid all of these new proposals, don't you wonder where they will find this new class of "outside observers"?  Sounds like a great gig--for a certain kind of person!  Will these outside observers have more experience than our APs?  Will they have more experience than the teachers they observe?  Will they come with a quota in mind?  Will they accept bribes?  

At any rate, just because the imagination can sometimes be worse than the concrete, let me ease your mind with these pictures of a trial run staged by outside observers at our school.  In their favor, let me say that they were very punctual as teachers mounted the scaffolding at 7 a.m. sharp, very sharp, indeed!  

A Gift from the Governor to Our School

The outside observers had a very busy day, as you can imagine.  When they finally finished cleaning their blades and moved on, there was a great sense of relief among the teachers in our building.  

After completing the Governor's dirty work, the outside observers ride off into the sunset.  

Let me conclude on a lighter note.  In the picture below, teachers make merry in the cafeteria following their departure.