This past Friday NJ Spotlight hosted a Roundtable in Monroe on the new teacher evaluation pilot program, now underway in 11 districts and due for expansion in the 2012-2013 school year. Panelists included teachers and administrators from three of the pilot districts – Red Bank, West Deptford, and Elizabeth – plus Robert Fisicaro, who manages the pilot for the DOE, and Peter Shulman, State Asst. Commissioner of Education.

Reviews from the participating teachers and principals on the efficacy of data-driven teacher evaluations were positive, with a few concerns expressed regarding the cost of implementation Here’s coverage from NJ Spotlight and Central Jersey. Brian Gismondi, principal of West Deptford High School said, ”As administrators, we’re the leaders, but at this point it changes how we give that feedback back to them. Teachers feel at ease and see a point and I really feel like I’m helping them move to the next level.”

Carol Boehm, a Red Bank music teacher, observed, “Anyone who hears the word change, anyone is going to be a little scared and apprehensive. But once we started going through the process and the training, we really understood the value of it.”

This successful implementation should be welcome news to the Senate Education Committee, who heard testimony last week on Senator Teresa Ruiz’s teacher tenure and evaluations bill. Concerns had been expressed – both from Committee members and some members of the public (primarily union lobbyists) – that the NJ DOE was not quite ready for a rollout of the program due to data base growing pains and staffing issues. But if the DOE can manage the 11 schools currently in the program, it’s probably up to the task of extending the field to 30 schools in September, the current plan.