Cincinnati Public Schools and the Cincinnati Federation of Teachers must work together to reverse a downward trend in student achievement by immediately developing a comprehensive plan to strengthen teacher effectiveness and support. Findings include:
- Ineffective evaluations: The current teacher evaluation system does not differentiate teachers based on their impact on student learning, nor does it give teachers the feedback they need to improve.
- Failure to reward excellence: Nearly two-thirds of CPS teachers say they would support bonuses for outstanding performance, but teacher compensation is based almost entirely on seniority and qualifications.
- Forced placements: 1 in every 4 CPS teachers who changed schools last year was placed in his or her new school without the opportunity to interview, to the widespread dissatisfaction of both teachers and principals.
- Losing the best new teachers: 60 percent of administrators report losing a qualified new teacher candidate as a result of the district’s late hiring timeline.