N.J. bill making evaluations key to teacher tenure may soon be introduced

By Jessica Calefati/The Star-Ledger

TRENTON — More than a year after state Sen. Teresa Ruiz began gathering evidence on how to overhaul the state’s century-old teacher tenure law, a bill that would link the job protection to regular evaluations may soon be fast-tracked in Trenton.

Ruiz (D-Essex) said during an editorial board meeting late last week that she has meetings scheduled Monday to hammer out the bill’s contents and expects to introduce an updated draft of the legislation as early as this week.

“I’ve wanted to focus on tenure reform since I came into office,” she said. “This month, I intend to post a bill that will be passed and a bill that will be signed.”

Gov. Chris Christie has made tenure reform one of his priorities and has publicly expressed his support for Ruiz’s efforts. The New Jersey Education Association, the state’s largest teachers union, has expressed concerns with parts of her plan.

Ruiz’s current bill would require all new teachers to complete a one-year mentorship under a veteran educator and then earn three consecutive years of good evaluations to earn tenure.
For the first time, two consecutive years of bad evaluations would strip a tenured teacher of the job protection.

Teachers who wish to appeal their loss of tenure would have 30 days to do so, and an administrative law judge would have an additional 30 days to render a decision, under the bill.

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