Governor Bill Haslam’s legislative agenda announced yesterday includes proposals that could increase class sizes and decrease teacher pay. These bills will directly harm student learning, classroom safety, graduation rates and public schools ability to attract and retain quality teachers.

I am disappointed Governor Haslam chose to begin the 2012 session with such a blatant attack on Tennessee’s public schools. In a time when we all need to be working together to improve student learning, these proposals are counterproductive to our effort to keep students as our top priority.”

Eliminating the average class size mandates is a radical proposal that will result in every student having less attention from his or her teacher. This proposal is a threat to student learning, because smaller class sizes enhance safety, discipline and order in the classroom. It will result in lower graduation rates and higher juvenile incarceration rates. Students with special needs will have less of the assistance they need.”

You can’t close the achievement gap by increasing class sizes. Students deserve the best education possible, but they will not get that with larger classes and teachers pay tied to test scores.”

This proposal unfairly ties teacher pay to an evaluation system that has not been proven valid or reliable, and to a data system that does not have a defined process for correcting inaccuracies. It also ties teacher pay directly to test scores scores that include elements outside a teacher’s control.

This agenda is yet another attack on Tennessee’s students. I hope parents, community members and business leaders will join TEA in protecting our schools and strongly opposing this legislation.

Gera Summerford, President

Tennessee Education Association