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HARRISBURG – Moments ago, the Senate passed HB 805 (The Protect Excellent Teachers Act) and now awaits a signature from the Governor to become law. Below is a statement from Jonathan Cetel, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Campaign for Achievement Now (PennCAN) on the passage of the bill:
“We are encouraged by the General Assembly’s action on this commonsense reform that would permit school boards to make furlough decisions based on merit and not based solely on a teacher’s years of service.
The current seniority-based system leads to the furlough of effective educators and does not value an educator’s impact on kids. In the unfortunate case of a reduction in force, this legislation will help schools protect excellent teachers and keep them in the classroom. HB 805 strikes a balance; while it prioritizes performance, it also permits seniority to be used as a tie-breaker for decision-making at the local level.
We will be encouraging our supporters to contact the Governor and ask him to act on behalf of students and excellent educators by signing this important piece of legislation.”
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PennCAN: Launched in May 2012, PennCAN: The Pennsylvania Campaign for Achievement Now, is a 501(c)3 nonprofit education reform advocacy organization building a movement of Pennsylvanians with the political will to enact smart public policies so that every Pennsylvania child has access to a great public school.