Teacher tenure reform (United States)
Teacher tenure is a policy that restricts the ability to fire teachers, requiring a "just cause" rationale for firing. The individual states each have established their own tenure systems. Tenure provides teachers with protections by making it difficult to fire teachers who earn tenure. Some states are focusing on revisions so that the tenure system no longer functions the same way as currently. Overview While each state has its own specifics for how teacher tenure works, most hold a similar form. Each new teacher is given a probationary period (probation periods vary among states). During this probation period, teachers must prove they are worthy of receiving tenure. They must prove that they are having a positive effect on their students using a teacher evaluation system, which includes information from several facets of a teacher's responsibilities. Some common facets are classroom observations, student growth, and self-reflection (see, for example, New Haven and the state of Virginia ). For example, currently under New Jersey's tenure system, a teacher is placed on probation for three years during which time the teacher is evaluated using a system called AchieveNJ. During or after these three years, the principal must decide if the school will grant