Budget deficits within an educational system have lead to significant cuts in fundings, resulting in changes to classroom resources and teacher layoffs, which all possess a threat to the overall quality of education. The evaluation system for dismissing these teachers, majority of which are unionized employees, greatly varies between educational districts within the country. In Washington D.C., Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee decided to take an immediate controversial approach: Holding teachers accountable for student test scores.
The selection process of firing employees remains an ethical dilemma in the business world today. It is a common approach to dismiss teachers through seniority, and although many would argue that this method is much more budget-friendly, it could lead to the dismissal of high quality educators. However, creating a standard evaluation system based on the individual results of “student growth achievement exams” not only requires extensive funding and labour, it also stirs up controversy in regards to judging the competency of a teacher. The concept of a “good teacher” contains variables that cannot be judged through a single written test, and is completely subjective to an individual student’s point-of-view.