Tenure becomes hot topic during hearing at Capitol

Hartford - Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's controversial proposal for overhauling the teacher tenure and certification systems in the state's public schools dominated the discussion Tuesday at the first public hearing on his education bill.

Early in the meeting, state Rep. Andrew Fleischmann, D-West Hartford, co-chairman of the legislature's Education Committee, told the governor that some teachers were offended by remarks this month in his State of the State address asserting how, under existing law, "the only thing you have to do is show up for four years" to get tenure.

Malloy said in response that it was never his intent to offend anyone, yet "the description was apt." Connecticut's tenure system needs to change, he said, and many educators will acknowledge that much when asked if they know of colleagues who are not performing.

"It's amazing how many people will admit that there are teachers in buildings which they don't believe belong there, but because of the system, remain there," the governor told committee members. "All I'm trying to say is that our students in the system deserve better."

More than 100 people signed up to testify at the hearing, which began at 1:15 p.m. in the Capitol complex and ran late into the night. Day two is scheduled to start at noon today.

Connecticut teachers gain tenure after working four years in the same district. Their contracts are then automatically renewed each year, and they can only be dismissed for six specific reasons, including inefficiency or incompetence.

Malloy's legislation would make it tougher to gain tenure and easier for districts to fire teachers who are deemed ineffective.

"The idea is that tenure ought to be earned and maintained," Commissioner of Education Stefan Pryor said during his testimony before the packed hearing room. "Our goal is to make sure that every classroom is led by an effective teacher, and every school by an effective principal."

The bill would give regular evaluations to tenured teachers and require "exemplary" or "proficient" ratings on a new four-level performance scale.

The legislation ties the performance ratings to a new certification system that, in turn, would become linked to districts' salary scales. It also shortens the appeals process for dismissing a tenured teacher.

Officials representing the two state teachers' unions voiced reservations about the scope of the bill's tenure and certification plans.

Phil Apruzzese, president of the 43,000-member Connecticut Education Association, said the governor's bill pursues an "unrealistic" timeline. "It attempts to do too much too soon without enough time for proper field testing and refinement," he said.

Sharon Palmer, president of the 28,000-member American Federation of Teachers Connecticut, urged legislators to reconsider a proposed rule for the new dismissal appeals process that would limit the scope of each appeal hearing to whether the evaluation process was followed.

Union officials argued that the arbitrator should instead consider the nuances of each case.

Some educators and public officials gave full endorsements of Malloy's plans.

"Forget about the adults in the equation," Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch said. "I think every reform that comes before you, the question should be, 'Is this the best for our children?'"

The Connecticut Business & Industry Association urged speedy passage of the legislation.

"With the largest achievement gap in the United States and with our overall performance slipping relative to states like Texas and the Dakotas, it is time to act," John Rathgeber, the association's president, said in a statement.

Clarifying the bill's fine print, Pryor told lawmakers that a teacher who is dismissed from one school district because of poor evaluations would not be stripped of his certification - allowing the teacher to seek employment in another district.

Matthew Valenti, president of the Torrington Education Association, said tenure protected his job from wrongful termination on three occasions in past 30 years. He isn't sure he would still be a teacher today if the governor's proposals had been in place at the time.

"I think watering down tenure is not a good thing," Valenti said. "The teachers will be afraid to take the tougher assignments."

Robert Wyllie of East Lyme, an art teacher at East Hampton Middle School, was among those offended by Malloy's tenure comments in the State of the State address.

"I've never been so insulted by a public official in my life," he said. Wyllie signed up to speak at Tuesday's hearing to say that things in many Connecticut schools are going well, including cooperation between staff and administrators, and that teachers should not be made scapegoats for all problems.

"To listen to some so-called school reformers today, you would think that schools are a black hole with money being poured into them with consistently poor results," he said in written testimony.

j.reindl@theday.com