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Unintended Consequences
Report Summary
Unintended Consequences: The Case for Reforming the Staffing Rules of Urban Teachers Union Contracts focuses on the impact of “voluntary transfer” and “excessed teacher” staffing rules found in the collective bargaining agreements of urban school districts.
“Voluntary transfers” are incumbent teachers with seniority rights who want to move between schools, while “excessed teachers” are those whose positions are cut from their school, often due to enrollment or budget changes.
Through a study of five major urban districts, the report demonstrates how “voluntary transfer” and “excessed” teacher rules result in systems that hire too late to secure the most talented teacher applicants, bump valuable teachers, and require schools to hire poorly matched or—worse—poorly performing teachers.
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In the News
From the New York Times editorial, Bumping in Schools, (Dec. 27, 2006): "...states are unlikely to truly improve teacher quality — or spread qualified teachers more equitably throughout the schools — until they pay more attention to how teachers are trained, hired, evaluated and assigned.” “…districts will need to abandon union rules that basically guarantee senior teachers the right to change schools whenever they want — even if the principal of the receiving school does not want them — by bumping a less senior teacher out of his or her job.” “Urban systems all over the country need to move toward reform. A senior teacher who has been forced out elsewhere or who simply wishes to move elsewhere should be guaranteed an interview at the preferred school, but not a job.” |
Statements of Support from Educators and Education Leaders
Statement of Support from Alan D. Bersin
California Secretary of Education and Member of the State Board of Education; former Superintendent of the San Diego Unified School District
Statement of Support from Joel I. Klein
Chancellor, New York City Department of Education
Statement of Support from Michael D. Casserly
Executive Director, The Council of Great City Schools
Statement of Support from Kati Haycock
Director, The Education Trust
Statement of Support from Kevin M. Johnson
Founder and Chairman, St. HOPE; three-time NBA All-Star
Statement of Support from Dr. C. Kent McGuire
Dean, College of Education, Temple University
Statement of Support from Wendy Puriefoy
President, Public Education Network
Statement of Support from Andrew J. Rotherham
Co-Director, Education Sector; and Senior Fellow, Progressive Policy Institute
Statement of Support from Stefanie Sanford
Senior Policy Officer, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
Statement of Support from Ronald A. Wolk
Founding Editor, Education Week