New Hampshire is alone among New England states in demanding quality instruction
Congratulations to New Hampshire state officials, who had the courage to ignore union pressure and increase the number of years it takes for teachers to gain tenure.
K-12 teachers must now serve in the same district for five years to gain tenure protection, instead of the traditional three. That makes New Hampshire the most demanding state in New England when it comes to teacher competency. That should mean something to parents who care about the quality of instruction their children receive.
Massachusetts grants tenure after three years, while Maine and Vermont grant tenure after two.
New Hampshire officials believe it can take up to five years to determine if a teacher has the tools and dedication to be effective in the classroom. Under the new law, any probationary teacher can be let go for any reason in the first five years.
Officials also note the time and expense involved with firing incompetent teachers once they gain tenure. School administrators across the nation are hesitant to spend six figures on legal fees to remove bad teachers, and many feel forced to leave them in place.
The New Hampshire law would be even better if it allowed tenure to be revoked from veteran teachers who fail evaluations for several years in a row. That sort of pressure would probably light a fire under a bunch of talented but comfortable teachers who stopped putting their best foot forward years ago.
