Teachers get a big win on testing and evaluation bill

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.