A Labor and Equity Analysis of the Impact of the Teacher Effectiveness and Accountability for the Children of New Jersey Act (TEACHNJ)

• In Event: Roundtable Session 17
  In Roundtable Session: Legal Trends in Education

Abstract

The time required for teacher observation per administrator under the new regulations issued as a result of the TEACHNJ legislation of 2012 was compared with the requirements under the previous law using state level staffing data from 640 school districts and charter schools in New Jersey. Findings include that in most districts, the minimum amount of time per administrator needed for conducting teacher evaluations will increase by about 36%. Further, the impact of this legislation appears to be greatest in districts with high faculty to administrator ratios, and is correlated to per-pupil funding in districts. This increased burden under the TEACHNJ Act may also compromise administrators’ ability to thoroughly and properly evaluate their teachers, raising legal questions about due process.

Authors

• Douglas B. Larkin, Montclair State University

• Joseph Oluwole, Montclair State University