Beatty commends committee, celebrates important milestone
On Monday, May 12, A5077/S4375 unanimously passed the Senate Education Committee. This is a major win for educators because it puts the bill one vote away from Gov. Murphy’s desk. If passed, the bill would extend the pause on the use of Student Growth Objectives (SGOs) in classrooms and schools for most teachers in New Jersey.
NJEA Vice President Steve Beatty attended the committee hearing to commend the committee’s hard work and vision for passing the bill. He celebrated the collaborative approach of all stakeholders and noted the critical role that NJEA members played in moving the bill to this point. “This is an important day for educators because it means that lawmakers in Trenton are listening to NJEA members and other education stakeholders,” said Beatty, referring to the overwhelming support that NJEA members have demonstrated for this bill. “When we use our voices together, we make change happen.”
NJEA members have long expressed frustration with the burdensome and often redundant paperwork SGOs demand. Thousands of NJEA members have expressed their concerns about the SGO process. While rigid, the process does not provide authentic data for teachers to use.
The bill as written will go a long way toward eliminating the unnecessary stress associated with the SGO process. Not only would it continue the statutory pause on collecting new SGO data for tenured teachers until the AchieveNJ regulations, which are due to sunset in July 2027, are rewritten, but it also includes a provision that would allow teachers to “opt-in” to the process on a voluntary basis. Further, the bill clarifies eligibility for those whose tenure dates fall midyear. During the pause, tenured teachers’ most recent SGO scores will be carried forward in future years.
Since the bill previously passed through the NJ Assembly, it will be on its way to Gov. Murphy’s desk after the full Senate passes it.