There was an unpredictable outcome for the teacher\/principal contract bill in the Senate last week that will certainly cause the Administration to wonder where they might have miscalculated their chances there. Just before that vote, VASSP was finally brought to the table on Monday to discuss our concerns after making it known to the Administration that we did not favor passage of the Governor\u2019s contract bill and had a number of concerns; however, it turns out that this was a case of \u201ctoo little, too late.\u201d Although VASSP Executive Director Dr. Randy Barrack presented members\u2019 concerns and offered suggestions to what we see as a \u201cflawed\u201d and rushed piece of legislation, the bill that emerged after that meeting included mere technical changes and did not address the major issues that VASSP has had since the contract bill was first proposed. In addition to the fact that VASSP has made it clear that members do not support putting in place a major change in how contracts are issued and personnel evaluated before there has been ample time for professional development opportunities both for teachers and administrators, Dr. Barrack told representatives of the Administration that VASSP did not agree that it was necessary or representative of prudent education practice to require principals and assistant principals to serve probationary terms of five years. Although it was suggested that the Administration would take our proposal under advisement, the bill that emerged after that meeting did not include our request.<\/p>\n
HB 576, the Governor\u2019s contract companion bill that was introduced and passed in the House, is still viable and will again be tested when it comes up on Thursday in the Senate Education and Health Committee. Before the Senate version of the contract bill was defeated on the Floor of the Senate (when Senators Norment and Watkins refused to vote on the measure), it had narrowly been reported in the Senate committee. If that same vote holds in committee on HB 576 on Thursday, then it will again be up to the full Senate to decide if the contract bill passes or fails for the 2012 Session. The Governor has much on the line and will certainly use all his power of persuasion to see that HB 576 is successful in the Senate. <\/p>\n
VASSP continues to make its opposition known in Richmond at the General Assembly and will speak against passage of HB 576 in committee on Thursday, February 23, 2012 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
There was an unpredictable outcome for the teacher\/principal contract bill in the Senate last week that will certainly cause the Administration to wonder where they might have miscalculated their chances there. Just before that vote, VASSP was finally brought to the table on Monday to discuss our concerns after making it known to the Administration … <\/p>\n