Recruitment & Retention

R.I. Chief Launches Effort to Soften Seniority’s Grip

By Stephen Sawchuk — November 02, 2009 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

Rhode Island Commissioner of Education Deborah A. Gist has told districts to work to eliminate teacher-assignment practices based on seniority when their collective bargaining agreements come up for renewal this year. She wants assignments to be based on performance criteria instead.

The policy is part of the Rhode Island’s new Basic Education Program that takes effect next July.

In a letter to the state’s local superintendents, Ms. Gist said the program requires that the “continuous improvement of student learning” be the basis for all decisionmaking. “In my view, no system that bases teacher assignments solely on seniority can comply with this regulation,” the letter says.

But the National Education Association Rhode Island and the Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals, who together represent 12,000 public school teachers in the state, were blindsided by the announcement.

“We’re going to court,” said Marcia Reback, the president of the federation. “This narrows the scope of collective bargaining.”

Ms. Gist’s predecessor, Peter J. McWalters, had taken a similar—though more limited—step earlier this year when he told the Providence school system to drop seniority in filling teacher vacancies. (“R.I. Chief Orders Providence to Relax Staffing Rules,” March 18, 2009.)

The Providence Teachers Union is challenging that move in federal court.

Ms. Gist’s action comes as school districts around the country tinker with traditional structures that affect teacher quality, such as compensation and evaluation.

So far, though, seniority has been mostly ignored.

For instance, the New Haven, Conn., teacher contract is being held up by union, district, and federal officials as a model effort for collaborative reform. But even in that city’s charter-like “turnaround” schools, teachers who aren’t rehired by their principals or choose to leave after a two-year commitment can put their bid on positions based on seniority.

The Associated Press and the McClatchy News Service contributed to this story.

A version of this article appeared in the November 04, 2009 edition of Education Week as R.I. Chief Launches Effort to Soften Seniority’s Grip

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Science Webinar
Making Science Stick: The Engaging Power of Hands-On Learning
How can you make science class the highlight of your students’ day while
achieving learning outcomes? Find out in this session.
Content provided by LEGO Education
Teaching Profession Key Insights to Elevate and Inspire Today’s Teachers
Join this free half day virtual event to energize your teaching and cultivate a positive learning experience for students.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Student Achievement Webinar
Student Success Strategies: Flexibility, Recovery & More
Join us for Student Success Strategies to explore flexibility, credit recovery & more. Learn how districts keep students on track.
Content provided by Pearson

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Recruitment & Retention Leader To Learn From How This HR Director Pushed for Pay Increases for Teachers
Teachers are getting paid more in the Charleston, S.C. district—thanks in part to their champion in administration.
9 min read
Bill Briggman, Chief Human Resources Officer for the Charleston County School District, speaks with Ella Larson as she teaches students at Pinehurst Elementary School, on Jan. 27, 2025, in North Charleston, S.C.. Some of the teachers at Pinehurst Elementary are a part of the district’s partnership with Clemson University to earn their Master’s degree while they teach.
Bill Briggman, chief human resources officer for the Charleston County School District, speaks with Ella Larson as she teaches students at Pinehurst Elementary School, on Jan. 27, 2025, in North Charleston, S.C..
Laura Bilson for Education Week
Recruitment & Retention Q&A A Formula for Better Teacher Recruitment and Retention
Helping teachers advocate for themselves is key to success.
3 min read
Bill Briggman, Chief Human Resources Officer for the Charleston County School District, listens to public comments during a Charleston County School Board meeting, on Jan. 27, 2025, in North Charleston, S.C. Briggman is a go-between for the superintendent and the school board.
Bill Briggman, chief human resources officer for the Charleston County School District, listens to public comments during a school board meeting, on Jan. 27, 2025, in North Charleston, S.C.
Laura Bilson for Education Week
Recruitment & Retention Why Boys Don't Want to Become Teachers and What Schools Can Do About It
Boys would benefit from more male role models in the classroom.
10 min read
High school student Me’Kenzie Square-Ward, 17, works with a small group of fourth grade students at Clayton Elementary School, where he has an internship in Smyrna, Del., on October 15, 2024.
Me’Kenzie Square-Ward, 17, works with a small group of 4th grade students at Clayton Elementary School in Smyrna, Del., on Oct. 15, 2024. Many boys, especially boys of color, don't consider teaching as a profession, but Me'Kenzie has a teaching internship through his high school's career pathways program.
Michelle Gustafson for Education Week
Recruitment & Retention CTE Grows in Popularity Among Students, But Teachers Are Tough to Find
As career and technology education becomes more popular among students, schools struggle to fill teaching vacancies.
5 min read
Students in Miranda Baxter’s Welding Program work on projects at the Journey Career Center on Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023, in Bakersfield, Calif.
Students in Miranda Baxter’s Welding Program work on projects at the Journey Career Center on Jan. 11, 2023, in Bakersfield, Calif. Career and technical education is rising in popularity among students, but qualified teachers remain hard to find.
Morgan Lieberman for Education Week