Politics & Government

Apple Valley Legislators Support Bill to Overturn Teacher Seniority System

The proposed bill would require school districts to lay off teachers based on their licensure field and most recent evaluation results.

This week, the Minnesota Senate approved a bill challenging seniority-based layoffs in Minnesota schools; the bill is supported by the three state legislators who represent Apple Valley.

HF 1870 was introduced on Jan. 13 by District 39B Rep. Branden Petersen (R). The proposed bill requires school districts to lay off teachers based on their licensure field and most recent evaluation results, rather than seniority.

The bill passed by a 68-61 vote in the House earlier this February, and the Senate approved it by a 36-26 vote on Monday. Apple Valley's Reps. Kurt Bills (R-District 37B) and Tara Mack (R-District 37A) voted in the affirmative in the House vote, while Apple Valley's Sen. Chris Gerlach (R-District 37) voted for the bill in the Senate.

Find out what's happening in Apple Valley-Rosemountwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The bill will now head to a conference committee before it is sent to Gov. Mark Dayton's office.

Bipartisan proponents of the bill say that the "last in, first out" standard hurts student achievement because districts lose more effective but less experienced teachers. Minnesota is one of 11 states using "last in, first out" policies, according to a press release from Bills.

Find out what's happening in Apple Valley-Rosemountwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

But critics say the legislation is moving too quickly, and has the potential to draw lawsuits from laid-off teachers. The bill would make it easier for districts to ditch more expensive, experienced teachers for their less expensive, less seasoned counterparts, an Education Minnesota spokesperson told the Pioneer Press.

"It is not in the best interest of our children to put years of service ahead of teacher effectiveness," Bills said in the press release. "Staffing decisions should be made at the local level, not through talent-blind, statewide legislation."


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