House bill may make student achievement a big part of teacher evaluations

All teachers in Michigan may be evaluated based on the success of their students.

That’s the goal of legislation introduced by state representative Tim Melton this week. He wants student achievement to be 50 percent of a teacher’s annual evaluation.

"All the research in the world will say that the most important component of a child’s educational career is having an effective teacher in the classroom, not socio economic status, not two parent households, not all these other factors that people talk about. The most important factor is having an effective teacher."

Melton is a democrat from Pontiac. He says the majority of teachers in the state are evaluated in the highest category.

The state representative says when schools in Michigan face budget cuts, he wants the most effective teachers to stay in the classrooms, not those with the most seniority.

Emily Fox- Michigan Radio Newsroom