The new state budget approved earlier this week is calling on state education officials to devise a new teacher evaluation system and the process is likely to receive some pushback from teacher unions.

State education officials have already felt the wrath of teachers, parents, local school officials and politicians following the four-year rollout of the new Common Core-based educational standards and the tests that come with them.

But now, thanks to the 2015-16 state budget deal, state education officials will have to come up with a teacher evaluation system by the end of June. And according to an article in the Albany Times Union, it will do so without any extra money and will start without a new permanent education commissioner in place.

The evaluations are tied to tests that are designed to show students’ progress over the course of a year under a given teacher. Educators who are rated “highly effective” will be eligible for $20,000 annual bonuses. At the other end of the spectrum, those rated “ineffective” for multiple years due to poor student test scores could be fired, even if they are tenured veterans.

Precisely how the Education Department will develop this new teacher grading system remains to be seen.

If the state education department is able to finalize a new evaluation system, local schools will be required to accept the changes by November.

BUSTI – The Lakewood-Busti police department is calling it an unfortunate incident. A Jamestown man killed himself Wednesday night in the Town of Busti shortly after an officer saw his car on the side of the road and stopped to offer him assistance.

Police say the incident took place on Forest Avenue Extension near Garfield Rd. As the officer stopped to help the driver of the car, the driver became visibly upset. The officer then pulled his vehicle behind the car to run a check on the license plate when the drive of the car got out and walked toward the police vehicle holding a shotgun. After the officer took evasive action, the man turned around, walked back to the front of his own vehicle, and shot himself.

No one else was hurt in the incident and other local police agencies provided assistance at the scene. Neither the name of the victim or the officer is will be released.

NEW STATE TEACHER EVALUATION POLICY TO TAKE EFFECT NEXT SCHOOL YEAR

ALBANY – Every teacher in the state soon will be evaluated under a more rigorous system – designed to more closely link teacher ratings to student growth on assessments and to reliable classroom observations. The new state requirements for teacher evaluations, announced Thursday, are intended to more accurately evaluate teachers, provide support for those deemed ineffective and hold up those considered effective as role models. A teacher rated ineffective two years in a row could face termination proceedings.

The governor, state education commissioner and president of New York State United Teachers announced the agreement, which applies to all teachers in the state as of the 2012-13 school year.

During a news conference in Albany, the three men said the agreement would position New York as a leader among other states in the federally driven effort to tie teacher evaluations to student achievement.

WHITNEY CALLS EDWARDS TO SHOW HE’S TRIED TO SAVE TO COUNTY HOME

MAYVILLE – A member of the Chautauqua County Legislature is publicly calling on the county executive to show that he’s done everything possible to make the county home in Dunkirk more sustainable. Assistant Minority Leader Bob Whitney attended the newly created Chautauqua County Home Ad Hoc Committee meeting last night, serving as the Democratic leadership’s representative on this committee created by Legislature Chairman Jay Gould and charged with recommending the fate of the Chautauqua County Home.

In a press release, Whitney said that County Executive Greg Edwards is calling the home a liability and asking the County Legislature to consider selling it. Whitney claims the home is only a liability if county lawmakers have done everything possible to make it more financially sustainable to no avail.  He said he’s calling on the County Executive to provide a record on what he’s done so far to save the Home.

The County Home subcommittee met at 7pm last night in Mayville. Monthly meetings on the third Thursday of each month at 7pm will follow.

ASSEMBLY CONSIDERS LEGISLATION TO ALIGN STATE AND FEDERAL PRIMARY DATES

ABLANY – Legislation has been introduced in the state Assembly that would align state and federal primary dates, setting both on June 26, almost three months earlier than the typical date. The bill is sponsored by Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, D-Manhattan, and Assembly Election Law Chair Michael Cusick, D-Staten Island.

A federal judge had already ruled that national primaries be held on that day in order to comply with the federal Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment Act, which was enacted to ensure absentee ballots would be counted in elections. Silver and Cusick believe that moving state primaries to coincide with federal primaries will save local municipalities money.

The new legislation will be discussed during the Election Law Committee meeting held this Wednesday in room 715 of the Legislative Office Building in Albany.

‘SOUP AND A SONG’ FUNDRAISER IS TONIGHT

JAMESTOWN  – Jamestown’s St. Susan Center will continue the monthly ”Soup and a Song” series of programs combining concerts by popular local musical groups with an ”open-mic” Starting at 6 p.m. tonight, For the modest admission price of $10, attendees will be treated to an evening of fine live musical entertainment and a meal consisting of hearty soup, several varieties of breads, crackers, desserts, coffee, tea and hot chocolate.

Proceeds from the Soup and a Song series will benefit St. Susan Center, Jamestown’s
soup kitchen. Logistical support for the Soup and a Song program is being provided by Trinity Guitars.

The Soup and a Song events will be held at St. Susan Center’s facility at Gateway Center, at 31 Water St. The public will be admitted beginning at 6 p.m., with the open-mic segment of the programs beginning at 6:30. Featured entertainers – provided by the bluegrass band Wind River – will begin playing at 7:40 p.m., and the events will conclude at 9 p.m.