Rhee Cracks The Whip

I have little time for analysis this morning, but today's story in the Washington Post makes clear that DC Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee has grown exasperated with the 11-month-long contract negotiations with the DC teachers' union. It appears that she is moving forward to impose some unilateral reforms.

Rhee made good yesterday on repeated threats to bypass labor contract negotiations by imposing her own program to fire ineffective teachers, including a measure that gives poorly performing instructors 90 days to improve or face dismissal.

The blueprint includes a new teacher evaluation system based primarily on student test scores and other achievement benchmarks. She has also decided to employ rules that are on the books but seldom used, including one that allows her to deemphasize the importance of seniority in deciding which teachers would lose jobs in the event of declining enrollment or school closures. Seniority would become one of multiple factors taken into account.