Performance-based evaluations require that at least a portion of a teacher’s evaluation be based on a measure of how his or her students perform on standardized tests. Using a performance-based evaluation will ensure that good teachers are rewarded, struggling teachers are supported, and the few bad teachers are dismissed.
In Missouri, tenure for a K-12 teacher is also referred to as an “indefinite contract” and it is awarded after a teacher has taught in the same district for five years. The process of firing ineffective teachers who have already been awarded tenure is very long and costly, which discourages schools from holding teachers accountable for low performance.
Last In, First Out is the practice that many states, including Missouri, adhere to when forced to lay off teachers. This practice requires a district to fire the least senior teacher regardless of performance when layoffs need to be made.