Most public teachers earn ‘effective’ evaluations last year

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) – Most of Florida’s public school teachers have earned solid evaluations.

According to the Florida Department of Education’s annual evaluation report, which was released Monday afternoon, more than 98 percent of the state’s teachers earned “effective” or “highly effective” ratings for the 2014-15 school year.

About 37.5 percent of teachers earned the highest ratings last year. Those figures are down from 42.4 percent the previous year. Additionally, less than 1 percent of teachers received the lowest evaluation ratings last year.

The state requires school districts and unions to negotiate their own teacher-evaluation system based on state requirements.

The state’s Best and Brightest Teacher Scholarship Program also gives bonuses to teachers who’ve earned high evaluation marks. The program is currently being debated for renewal by the state’s legislature.