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| Date: | February 28, 2012 | | Contact Name: | Libbie Krueger | | Contact Phone: | 651.296.1388 | | Contact Email: | elizabeth.krueger@senate.mn | |
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| Sen. Wolf’s LIFO Reform Bill Passes Off Senate Floor Bill to Modify Last-in, First-Out School Lay-off Policy Gains Bipartisan Support |
(ST. PAUL) – The LIFO – last-in, first-out – reform bill passed with bipartisan support by a vote of 36 to 26 on Monday. House File 1870 changes the current system so that ineffective teachers are laid-off before teachers who have been deemed “effective” or “highly effective.”
Senator Pam Wolf (R – Spring Lake Park), the Senate author of the legislation, stated, “Teaching quality has a significant impact on students. Ending seniority-based layoff will help our schools keep their best teachers in the classroom. I am proud of my colleagues in the Senate who supported LIFO reform which will help ensure that Minnesota’s students are getting the best education we can provide.”
Based on current statute, school districts must shift positions and reassign more senior teachers while teachers with less experience are guaranteed to be laid-off first, regardless of teacher effectiveness. Minnesota is one of only eleven states that requires school districts to base teacher lay-offs on seniority without consideration of teacher effectiveness.
This important piece of legislation builds on the teacher evaluation system passed into law last year. That law will require regular teacher evaluations using student academic growth as a factor. To provide time to school districts and teachers for planning and negotiating, the evaluations are not required to begin until the 2014-15 school year and the new LIFO reform provisions would not take effect until 2016-17.
“When we passed the teacher evaluation provisions last year, we took strides to guarantee that we have quality teachers in the classroom. Reforming the current LIFO system goes a step further and makes sure we retain effective educators,” Wolf said. “This is just another opportunity to make sure we have the best teachers in our schools, educating the next generation of Minnesotans.”
Senator Wolf, a teacher and a coach, was elected to her first term in November 2010. She represents the Spring Lake Park, Fridley, Blaine, and Mounds View communities. Senator Wolf can be reached at 651-296-2556 (office) or via e-mail at sen.pam.wolf@senate.mn.
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