Governor to propose ending continuing contracts for teachers and principles

From newsadvance.com in Lynchburg:

Teacher contracts and uranium mining will get Gov. Bob McDonnell’s attention during this General Assembly session.

McDonnell said he will ask legislators to require all teachers undergo performance reviews every year, and “remove the continuing contract status from teachers and principals.”

Instead, annual contracts would be offered to teachers, McDonnell said.

“This will allow us to implement an improved evaluation system that really works, and give principals a new tool” for managing schools, McDonnell said during his State of the Commonwealth speech to the Senate and House of Delegates.

Del. Ben Cline, R-Rockbridge County, said he expects to support many of the governor’s education-reform proposals, but the continuing-contract idea was a new one.

I don’t see doing away with continuing contracts as “teacher reform.”  In the first place, principals aren’t on continuing contracts as principals.  They are on continuing contract as teachers.  Why does McDonnell think that yearly evaluation will make better teachers?  A full evaluation, usually done triennially for continuing contract teachers is very time consuming on the part of the teacher and the evaluator.  Why would  taking away the aspect of a continuing contract make for better teachers?  I say it would not.

 

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National Ocean Council to release Marine Spacial Planning Blueprint

 

From the Huffington Post:

The year 2012 promises hope for the future of America’s oceans. Changes are expected that will help the creatures that live below the surface, the people who live and vacation along our coasts, and the clean energy developers who want to tap into the vast wind potential that lies off our shores.

Any day now, the National Ocean Council — a forum for federal agencies — will release a draft blueprint of how we should best tackle the major threats facing ocean life, such as ocean acidification, habitat protection, water quality and pollution. We are looking forward to a robust public discussion of how we can help.

Right Whale

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Bolling casts tie vote for Republicans to take over Virginia Senate

Lt. Governor Bill Bolling cast the tie vote giving the Republicans control of the Virginia State Senate.  Actually there is a 20-20 split in the Senate.  However the tie breaker is the Lt. Governor who happens to be a Republican.  Democrats had better take cover.  This is a very conservative bunch of Republicans and they have been waiting a long time for this day.  All sorts of things that have been held up in committee are going to be coming out, very rapidly.

What changes do you expect to see?  Reproductive issues and gun rights are expected to head the list.