Macon Telegraph Logo

EDITORIAL: General Assembly might get this one right | Macon Telegraph

×
  • E-edition
  • Home
    • Customer Service
    • Mobile & Apps
    • Newsletters
    • Buy Photos and Pages
    • Contact Us
    • Newsletters
    • Subscribe
    • Archive Search

    • All News
    • Local
    • Houston & Peach
    • The Sun News
    • Crime
    • Food Story
    • Education
    • Databases
    • Business
    • Nation/World
    • Opinion
    • Weird News
    • All Sports
    • High Schools
    • University of Georgia
    • Bulldogs Beat
    • Georgia Tech
    • Mercer
    • Columns & Blogs
    • MLB & Braves
    • NFL & Falcons
    • NBA & Hawks
    • Auto Racing
    • Golf
    • NHL/Macon Mayhem
    • Politics
    • Elections
    • All Living
    • Family
    • Food
    • Home & Garden
    • Religion
    • Celebrations
    • Mark Ballard
    • Dear Abby
    • Entertainment
    • Out & About
    • Celebrities
    • Music
    • Restaurants
    • Comics
    • Puzzles & Games
    • Horoscopes
    • Opinion
    • Editorials
    • Editorial Cartoons
    • Letters to the Editor
    • Submit a Letter
    • Blogs & Columns
    • Opinion Columns & Blogs
    • Your Say
  • Obituaries
  • Education Together
  • Best of the Best

  • Classifieds
  • Jobs
  • Moonlighting
  • Cars
  • Homes
  • Place An Ad
  • Contests

  • About Us
  • Mobile & Apps

Editorials

EDITORIAL: General Assembly might get this one right

Every now and again, lawmakers under the Gold Dome in Atlanta have the chance to get something right. They have already missed one opportunity when the Senate passed the campus carry bill, House Bill 859, which allows anyone with a carry permit to have a loaded weapon on a public college or university campus -- with the exception of a sporting event. However, classrooms, offices and libraries are OK. Not one college president thinks that's a good idea, but it was approved anyway and now awaits the signature of the governor. Gov. Nathan Deal is being urged to veto the measure.

Along comes Senate Bill 364, sponsored by state Sen. Lindsey Tippins, R-Marietta. This bill sets out how much weight student test scores and other criteria would count toward teacher, assistant principal and principal evaluations. They would be rated on one of four levels: exemplary, proficient, needs development or ineffective.

The sticking point didn't come with the idea of the evaluation, but with the weight of the student test scores, which would have accounted for 50 percent of the evaluation of teachers and 70 percent for school leaders. Senate Bill 364 cuts that to 30 percent for teachers and 40 percent for leaders, levels agreed to by every major education organization in the state.

Senate Bill 364 does something else we wholeheartedly agree with: It reduces the number of tests that students have to take from 32 to 24, and the assessments have to be validated by a third party. And another important point that is particularly pertinent in a county like Bibb where students move between schools often: In order for a student's assessment to count in a teacher's evaluation, the student would have to have been present 90 percent of the time in the class.

SIGN UP

Sign Up and Save

Get six months of free digital access to The Telegraph

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

#ReadLocal

This evaluation piece isn't perfect. It's far from it, but it's a start. The bill still faces the House Rules Committee, a vote of the full House and another look by the Senate. Anything could still happen before it's put to bed before sine die.

  Comments  

Videos

Why it's a bad idea to allow the state to take over failing schools

Lawmakers pull another sneak play

View More Video

Trending Stories

Friends helping stranded ambulance driver are killed as truck runs over Prius on I-16

February 20, 2019 10:33 AM

Man run over by train in Macon suicide linked to 1991 vanishing of Sabrina Long

February 21, 2019 03:48 PM

Macon is known for mayhem and murder. But is that reputation fair?

February 21, 2019 07:00 AM

‘Superwoman’: Joni Taylor’s display of strength in hours leading up to birth of daughter

February 20, 2019 08:15 PM

Ga.’s shame: Speaker is using his position to delay trial for accused rapist, others

February 21, 2019 02:24 PM

Read Next

President Trump, we’re not ‘enemies of the people.’ End your war on our free press

Editorials

President Trump, we’re not ‘enemies of the people.’ End your war on our free press

McClatchy

    ORDER REPRINT →

August 15, 2018 04:17 PM

President Donald Trump has veered into perilous territory with his assault on the free press and the First Amendment. His references to journalists as the “enemy of the American people” are no less dangerous because they happen to be strategic.

KEEP READING

Sign Up and Save

#ReadLocal

Get six months of free digital access to The Telegraph

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

MORE EDITORIALS

Accessing fastest internet speed will require lots of antennas. Where will they go?

Editorials

Accessing fastest internet speed will require lots of antennas. Where will they go?

May 25, 2018 01:28 PM
An inauspicious beginning to the new year

Editorials

An inauspicious beginning to the new year

January 27, 2018 09:00 PM
No legislative remedy for Peach County loss

Editorials

No legislative remedy for Peach County loss

January 20, 2018 09:00 PM
More tax questions coming in 2018

Editorials

More tax questions coming in 2018

January 12, 2018 11:12 AM
Is this the Dawgs' most important game?

Editorials

Is this the Dawgs' most important game?

January 06, 2018 09:00 PM
The F.C.C. overturns the apple cart... again

Editorials

The F.C.C. overturns the apple cart... again

December 15, 2017 02:13 PM
Take Us With You

Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand.

Icon for mobile apps

Macon Telegraph App

View Newsletters

Subscriptions
  • Start a Subscription
  • Customer Service
  • eEdition
  • Vacation Hold
  • Pay Your Bill
  • Rewards
Learn More
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletters
  • News in Education
  • Archives
Advertising
  • Place a Classified Ad
  • Advertise with Us
  • Local Deals
Copyright
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service


Back to Story