Last September, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced plans to revamp the teacher tenure program in his city. This summer, Mayor Bloomberg made good on his promise, when the number of teachers receiving tenure was dramatically lower than the previous two years. While some are applauding the move, others, like the teachers’ union for the city, are voicing serious concerns over how the tenure decisions were made. We’ll take a look at both sides of the issue, as well as the potential impact these new tenure procedures will have on both teachers in the city and the quality of New York education overall.
More Teachers on “Hold”
According to a report in the Seattle Times, 5,200 teachers in the city of New York were awaiting decisions on tenure this year. Of that number, 58 percent were granted tenure and 39 percent had their tenure decisions delayed for another year. About 3 percent of teachers were denied tenure outright. These numbers vary considerably from last year, when 89 percent of teachers were granted tenure, and the previous year, when 94 percent received it.
Bloomberg explained to the Seattle Times that for the teachers who were told to wait another year for a tenure decision, it was the city’s way of telling them that “while they have shown progress, they are still developing as teachers and need to improve.” Teachers that did not receive tenure this year will have access to additional training and development to help them