Identifying Effective Teachers Policy
Delaware is on the right track in connecting tenure decisions to evidence of teacher effectiveness.
The state now requires that probationary teachers show two years of satisfactory student growth—evidenced by satisfactory ratings in the "student improvement" component of the teacher appraisal process—within a three-year period before they earn tenure.
Because Delaware's teacher evaluation ratings are centered primarily on evidence of student learning (see Goal 3-B), basing tenure decisions on these evaluation ratings ensures that classroom effectiveness is appropriately considered.
Ensure the probationary period is adequate.
To ensure tenure decisions are based on adequate assessment and sufficient evidence of teacher effectiveness in the classroom, Delaware should consider extending the time before teachers can earn tenure and requiring that probationary teachers earn at least three consecutive "effective" ratings prior to the award of tenure.
Delaware asserted that technically, it does not grant "tenure," although many of the traditional functions of tenure have historically applied.
For the purposes of this goal, the term "tenure" refers to the point at which a teacher is granted nonprobationary status.