How the New NYS APPR Regulations Have Changed the Employee Selection Process - Literature review Example

How the New, New York Annual Professional Performance Review (APPR) Regulations changed the Employee Selection Process Jeffrey P. Cervoni University at Buffalo Abstract With the need to ensure that students receive quality education and be prepared for college and or post-secondary employment, many studies have been conducted in relation to education and training and several recommendations made. One of the strategies that are currently being applied in this respect is the New NYS Annual Professional Performance Review (APPR) Regulations. The new regulations are focused on ensuring that only quality teachers are employed and retained to work in schools. The regulation demands that teachers and prospective teachers are screened to ensure that they can deliver according to expectations. In this respect, those who are rated “ineffective” are bound to miss the opportunity to teach students in class. There are high hopes that the regulation will come with good results and higher quality of education in New York State. How the New NYS APPR Regulations Have Changed the Employee Selection Process Introduction Several researches have been conducted over the last few decades in relation to student achievement and performance. Many of these studies indicate that student achievement is highly dependent on the quality of education they receive from their teachers (Ballou, 1996). This implies that the education system needs highly qualified teachers capable of instilling what is required to enable students be successful for college and or post-secondary careers. The need for more quality teachers is currently putting many states under intense pressure to conform to the NCLB act which aims at ensuring that only quality teachers are hired, those who can provide quality education to students (Freeport Public Schools, 2012). The pressure is also piling up because teachers are currently being laid off with those who cannot deliver good quality or high performance being the first culprits. This situation likely to persist even as the country continues to demand quality teachers (Ballou & Podgursky, 1998). While this is the case, it must be realized that recruiting quality teachers will not be easy especially for poor states and districts in the U.S. New York State is one of the states in America that have made a bold step aimed at improving the value of teaching. The government requires the state education department to comply with the new Annual Professional Performance Review (APPR) by all teachers engaging in instructional teaching before the end of the 2011-2012 school calendar year. APPR also provides guidelines on how teachers are to be appraised to determine if they satisfy the pre-set quality standards so as to improve performance among students. This paper examines how the New York State’s (NYS) APPR regulations have changed the employee selection process since its introduction. Balter and Duncombe (2005) reveal that many states in the U.S experienced high teacher shortage in 1990s following a change in demographics and reduction in class sizes thereby increasing demand for teachers in many states throughout the country. This was preceded by several years of declining demand for teachers in several states. However, the demand is projected to increase to about 2 million in the next decade according to the National Center for Education Statistics (Hussar, 1999). This calls for a good programming to be put in place that ensures effective recruitment of teachers to cater for the looming shortage. New York has been at the forefront in making sure that there are proper guidelines to ensure that quality teachers are hired. In this respect, the teachers must have the capacity to provide quality education to the student for their success. The NYS recruitment process for teachers has for a long time been based on a search for candidates, most of which are advertised through print media and the internet. After receiving applications from potential candidates, they (the candidates) undergo screening to establish their suitability for the jobs that they have applied for (Norton, 2008). In line with the NYS education regulations, the selection process entails candidates being subjected to a selection criterion to determine their teaching quality. According to Odden (2011), most districts start the teacher selection process by subjecting the applicant to a vigorous screening process to identify applicants who meet the perquisite qualifications and quality threshold. Odden (2011) notes that in addition to the applications, the old APPR regulation requires applicants for a teaching job to submit written recommendation letters, transcripts, and certification proofs. This is followed by the first interview which may cover issues to do with proper classroom management, experience, curriculum, discipline, learning style and subject matter. In addition, most of the regulation requires districts in the state to conduct a teaching lesson as part of the hiring process. This recruitment and selection process has been found not to focus much on quality since it led to poor selection by not factoring in other aspects of teaching which may not be inherent during the normal selection process (Odden, 2011). As such, New York introduced a new APPR regulation aimed at improving the quality of learning in New York State by using the regulation in making employment decisions. In this regard, the regulation has created a movement for the recruitment of teachers to be based on quality ratings, which is categorized as follows: high effective, effective, developing and ineffective. The criterion is then used in making employment decisions such as recruitment, promotion, retention, termination, and compensation. The law basically requires that before hiring or promotion teachers, they are to be evaluated based on the 40% student achievement level. In this case, only those teachers that meet the evaluation threshold for effectiveness are hired for teaching. This is because they shall have met all the quality requirements expected of teachers in the state. It is projected that hiring based on evaluation as prescribed by the APPR will improve the quality of education in the state once fully implemented (Freeport Public Schools, 2012). Freeport Public Schools (2012) reports that the regulation requires that the 60% remaining with regard to principle teacher evaluations is then subjected through several measures of principal, teacher effectiveness in line with the rules set by the commissioner. What is evaluated before hiring or promotion can be effected is the degree to which teachers and principals demonstrate proficiency by satisfying the NYS’s leadership and teaching standards. In this type of evaluation, a teacher can be rated either as developing or ineffective. As a result, in case a teacher is rated developing, the regulation requiring that the teacher or principal to be subjected through an improvement plan (TIP or PIP) according to Norton (2008). The improvement involves taking the teachers or principals through rigorous training programs to improve their teaching competencies before being recommended for promotion or employment. Those who cannot improve even after been subjected to TIP or PIP are considered incompetent as far as provision of quality education is concerned and are not to be considered for employment or promotion. As earlier stated, after evaluation a teacher or principal may be rated ineffective. As such, if a teacher were rated ‘ineffective’ with regard to his or her teaching quality, then the teacher or principal would be considered incompetent for teaching. This means that no such teachers would be hired for a teaching job in the state since they would not be able to provide the quality teaching needed of every teacher. In addition, in case an already employed teacher or principal happens to be rate ‘ineffective’ then the regulation requires such teachers and principal’s services are terminated after subjecting them through a hearing process (Balter, 2005). Before hiring or promotion is done, teachers and principals are required to undergo rigorous vetting procedure to determine their content knowledge in line with their area of specialization. Content knowledge is evaluated under the new APPR to establish whether the teachers are competent enough to deliver quality teaching expected of them as per the regulation. In this regard, only teachers who meet the “effective” rated are recommended for hiring in the state. Those who fail to meet the threshold regarding content knowledge are neither hired nor considered for promotion (Norton, 2008). Research indicates that the success of students depends on the capacity of their teachers to manage classrooms well (Freeport Public Schools, 2012). As such, during the selection and recruitment of teachers in NYS, the teachers are required to undergo thorough evaluation process to determine their capacity to manage the classroom well. In this regard, only those candidates who meet the criterion by being rated effective are the ones normally hired for a teaching job (Freeport Public Schools, 2012). Those who are rated “ineffective” with regard to classroom management are not considered since they will not be able to organize the classrooms in a manner that promotes quality education, which is needed for effective teaching. Other areas required by the new APPR regulations for evaluation during the hiring process for teachers include the teachers’ knowledge of student development, their instructive practices, effectiveness, collaborative relationships, and their reflective teaching practices (Balter, 2005). This regulation would truly result in quality education, in schools throughout NYS since the hiring and promotion of teachers is purely based on the how effective the teachers are as far as quality teaching and management of schools is concerned (Norton, 2008). The new APPR regulations differs widely from the processes considering that whereas the latter did not involve subjecting teachers to evaluation based on predetermined factors to determine their effectiveness, the new regulation does so. For instance, the old regulation mainly required teachers to meet the prerequisite requirements such as college transcripts, letters of recommendations and proof of accreditation to get approval for employed. The new regulation goes forth by requiring regular evaluation as a follow up to determine whether the teachers and principals are able to meet the quality requirements as spelt out in the new law (Balter, 2005). Best practice in terms of employee selection Employee selection is a very sensitive issue that requires adequate planning so as to be able to select the right employees capable of doing the job. This is particularly important with regard to hiring of teachers because failure to follow the best selection practices may lead to hiring of teachers who are not able to deliver quality teaching to students (Secord, 2003). It is common practice to use subjective judgments in evaluating an applicant’s suitability for a particular job. Nevertheless, research indicates that this kind of practice does not conform to the best practice in the selection of employees for a given job. The best practice in employee selection recommends the use of a grading scale or rubric (for example 0-10) for rating the protocols after which the entire assessment is combined for each candidate during the entire selection process to provide credible ground for decision making. It is reported that the method is effective mainly where the selection process involves more than a single technique. This helps in eliminating any form of bias during the recruitment process commonly referred to as ‘gut feeling’ that cannot be credibly supported by evidence (Norton, 2008). Research also indicates that employee best practice must consider an employee’s interpersonal and communication skills. This is because these attributes are vital for an employee to execute his or her job effectively. Teachers for instance need strong communication and interpersonal skills that are important when it comes to relating with students. Lack of strong personal and communication skills may affect a teacher’s capacity to offer quality teaching. It is for this reason that the best selection process recommends its consideration (Secord, 2003). Research also indicates that the best selection practice must consider a candidate’s competency level for a particular job. This including assessing an applicant’s skills and experience required to be fit into the job as required. In fact, most job postings clearly highlight the skills and experiences needed for a particular job based on the APPR regulations. This ensures that only those who meet the prerequisite qualifications are subjected to an interview process. With regard to the teaching profession, teachers are always required to possess certain qualifications to be able to offer quality education. For instance, best selection practice would require a mathematics teacher to have certain qualifications and skills to be able to be hired as a mathematics teacher (Secord, 2003). Employee selection best practices also require that the selection process to be conducted in a nondiscriminatory manner. This ensures that every applicant is given equal opportunity for the job irrespective of race, ethnicity, gender, nationality, or religion. The problem of discrimination is one that is still challenging many human resource organizations worldwide. Research indicates that most states in the U.S., NYS in particular, still experience some level of discrimination in employment, which to some extent are racial, or gender based. This denies even the most competent potential employees a chance to contribute to the development of businesses and the nation. These are among the reasons employment selection best practices requires all selection process to be impartial and nondiscriminatory (Secord, 2003). How the Old Regulations Were Not Implemented in the Selection Process The old regulations were not implemented because it was found to be relatively ineffective. In particular, it did not provide proper guidelines that ensure that highly qualified teachers are hired to improve the quality of education in the state. In addition, some stakeholders were opposed to the regulation arguing that it was impractical in some cases. Yet again, others felt that it could lead to discriminatory hiring, which does not conform with the best practices for employee selection (Danielson and McGreal, 2000). How districts could best apply the new APPR regulations and best practice to the selection process The fact that the regulations are in place does not imply that they will be implemented to the letter by the relevant authority at the district level. Instead, it calls for the commitment of every stakeholder to ensure that the regulations are applied in line with the best selection processes. As such, the New York State Education department (SED) should ensure that there is enough resources and increase the awareness of their availability and good practices. This achievable by increasing the number of employees within (SED) so as to help in providing technical assistance to schools on recruitment and selection process involved in hiring of teachers (Freeport Public Schools, 2012). Certainly, the new principle can best be applied by the New York State Education department to ensure that only qualified teachers are selected for the job. As earlier stated, a student’s success depends much on the teachings that they receive. As such, the new APPR will help in identifying qualified teachers and avoid hiring those who are rated ineffective. Doing thing will also be in line with the best practices of employee hiring, which suggests that quality and skills should guide the selection process (Danielson and McGreal, 2000). The district can also apply the new APPR to identify the right teachers and principals who need to be promoted to higher levels for their effectiveness as far as the provision of quality teaching services are concerned. This is because the new APPR regulation acts as a useful evaluation tool for competency, which is one of the best selection practices. In addition, the new APPR can be applied by the district to identify those teachers whose services need to be terminated or should be subjected to improvement training because of their “developmental” or “ineffective” ratings (Freeport Public Schools, 2012). However, to improve understanding of new APPR for effective application and implementation, the district should endeavor to organize regular training sessions aimed at teaching about teacher selection practices. The session should bring experts drawn from all education sectors within the school and other relevant stakeholders to present innovation practices and issues pertain to the teacher selection. This will help those obligated to hire teachers to be more conversant with the new APPR regulations (Balter, 2005). Yet another program that has been instituted by the government to help improve the quality of teachers in early learning and development services is Race to the Top. The program is basically a competition involving teachers who apply for consideration with the goal being to get a fund for the schools that they represent and to encourage innovation in teaching (www2.ed.gov, 2012). Conclusion The success of a student certainly depends a lot on the value of education that they get from their teachers. As a result, the new APPR regulations are a positive move in providing guidelines that school districts in New York can use in its recruitment and selection of teachers. Certainly, the application of the new APPR regulation will help in ensuring that only quality teachers are hired to raise the quality of education at the state level. References Balter, D. (2005). Teacher hiring practices in New York state school districts. Condition Reports. William Duncombe Syracuse University. Ballou, D. (1996). Do public schools hire the best applicants? Quarterly Journal of Economics, 111(1): 97-133. Ballou, D., & Podgursky, M. (1998). Teacher recruitment and retention in public and private schools. Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 17(3): 393-417. Danielson, C., McGreal, T.L. (2000). Teacher Evaluation to Enhance Professional Practice. Princeton, NJ: ASCD. Freeport Public Schools (2012). Annual Professional Performance Review (APPR) Teachers Handbook. New York: Freeport. Hussar, W. J. (1999). Predicting the need for newly hired teachers in the United States to 2008- 09. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics. Norton, M. S. (2008). Human resources administration for educational leaders. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Odden, A. R. (2011), Strategic management of human capital in education. New York: Routledge. Secord, H. (2003). Implementing best practices in human resources management. Hoboken, NJ: CCH Canadian Limited. www2.ed.gov (2012). Race to the Top Assessment Program. Retrieved from www2.ed.gov/programs/racetothetop-assessment/ Read More