Educator Effectiveness (Act 1)

In 2012, three acts were passed into law as part of a statewide initiative toward major education reform. Act 1, also referred to as the Talent Statute, allows districts and schools to make personnel policies and personnel decisions based on teacher effectiveness and performance. The statute calls for teachers to be compensated based on their experience, license area, and effectiveness – and although it allows districts to reward teachers who perform above and beyond expected standards, Act 1 prohibits any current teacher’s salary from being decreased and has no impact on retirement benefits. The law also preserves tenure for current teachers: starting in 2014, only those teachers who earn an "Ineffective" rating would lose their tenure status. Finally, Act 1 designates local superintendents and principals as the final authority in personnel decisions, while at the same time holding them accountable for student performance.