Teachers, Faced with Multiple New Initiatives, Feeling Pressed for Time

Mandated changes instituted in this school year are putting burdens on teachers' time, and members of the Hillsborough Board of Education and teacher representatives are working on trying to find ways to make the changes less burdensome.

Most of the problem stems from recents changes to teacher evaluations and new subject curricula required by state and federal mandates, which have added as much as five hours or more to teachers' work week outside of classroom time. The evaluations include peer reviews, which require are "hours and hours of forms," according to Hillsborough Education Association President Barbara Parker.

"The teachers also have an online lesson planning program that requires four or five hours a week to complete," she added.

Combined with training needed to address the new curricula which was scheduled to be provided during inservice days scheduled at the beginning of November but canceled because of school closings after Hurricane Sandy, some of the teachers have been upset enough to complain directly to the board of education: last week, board members acknowledged receiving three letters from staff members, including one expressing the concerns of a team of teachers at the middle school. 

"There is no doubt there is a great deal of work we're asking of our teachers, Superintendent Jorden Schiff said, citing the evaluations and curriculum revisions, as well as technology requirements. "There's a lot on our teachers' plates." 

The situation was deemed serious enough to warrant a meeting of the board's Education Committee to discuss what can be done, which included Parker, held last week.

"This is the first time in 10 years I have been asked to come to meet with a board committee outside of negotiations," she said. "We all know that we in Hillsborough are not alone in feeling the squeeze from the state mandates. When you put all of the stressors together, it's overwhelming."

Parker said another impact of this wave of changes is reflected in the the number of teachers considering retirement of quitting because of the requirements outside of classrooms, and the resulting stress from a lack of personal time for their families.

But she and Dr. Schiff say the HEA and the board have been collaborating to address the issues, with Parker adding the HEA and board "are working well together to try to address the problems."