Education
Education

Teachers get a big win on testing and evaluation bill

By Ty Tagami
March 15, 2016

Teachers got a big win out of the Georgia House of Representatives Tuesday after lawmakers voted unanimously in favor of reducing the use student test results in educator’s job reviews.

Senate Bill 364 passed the state House of Representatives 172-0, after passing the Senate unanimously last month. The House Education committee made a few changes that must now be approved by the Senate, but the chief sponsor of the bill, Sen. Lindsey Tippins, R-Marietta, supports the changes, making ultimate passage likely.

The bill amends a 2013 law that required “growth” on state-mandated tests to count for at least half of each teacher evaluation. This legislation reduces that to 30 percent, and it reduces the number of state tests, from 32 to 24.

Lawmakers who pushed for the current testing regime acknowledged they'd gone too far … (read more here).

About the Author

Ty Tagami is a staff writer for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Since joining the newspaper in 2002, he has written about everything from hurricanes to homelessness. He has deep experience covering local government and education, and can often be found under the Gold Dome when lawmakers meet or in a school somewhere in the state.

Follow Ty Tagami on facebookFollow Ty Tagami on twitter
More Stories

Keep Reading

Wade Roberts (center), a Decatur-area resident with children in three of the city's schools, speaks as Decatur parents met with Education Planners, a consulting firm, on Nov. 13, at Beacon Hill Middle School in Decatur to discuss the possibility of one of the district's five K-2 schools closing. (Daniel Varnado for the AJC)

Credit: Daniel Varnado/For the Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Parents are cautiously optimistic as Decatur slows school closure plans

School board members have said whatever they decide to do won’t affect the 2026-27 school year.

57m ago

Georgia colleges consider controversial test as option to SAT

A contentious standardized college admissions test designed to usurp the SAT and ACT — and reshape the American education system — is gaining traction in conservative states.

Georgia education leaders call for cellphone ban in high schools

The Georgia Department of Education wants to ban cellphones in high schools too, not just K-8 classrooms.

The Latest

Wade Roberts (center), a Decatur-area resident with children in three of the city's schools, speaks as Decatur parents met with Education Planners, a consulting firm, on Nov. 13, at Beacon Hill Middle School in Decatur to discuss the possibility of one of the district's five K-2 schools closing. (Daniel Varnado for the AJC)

Credit: Daniel Varnado/For the Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Parents are cautiously optimistic as Decatur slows school closure plans

57m ago

Georgia colleges consider controversial test as option to SAT

Georgia education leaders call for cellphone ban in high schools

Featured

Inventor Lonnie Johnson stands with his Super Soaker water guns at JTEC Energy on Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025, in Atlanta. Johnson, a former NASA engineer, is currently working on a new energy technology through his company’s JTEC device that turns thermal heat into usable energy. (Natrice Miller/AJC)

Earth needs more energy. Atlanta’s Super Soaker creator may have a solution.

The legendary inventor of the Super Soaker, Lonnie Johnson, is refining technology in Atlanta that he thinks could help the planet reduce energy waste.

Teen GOP activist steps down from party leadership post

Greene County native and University of North Georgia student Ja’Quon Stembridge, 19, had run on boosting youth involvement in the party.

2025 SEC championship game: Kickoff time, TV channel, participants, ticket info

The 2025 SEC Championship Game is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 6. Below you can find information on game time, TV channel and particpants for the game.