On the most recent DCPS teacher firings

D.C. fires 241 teachers and puts 737 educators on notice

Washington, D.C., schools chief Michelle Rhee ordered the dismissal Friday of 241 teachers -- including 165 who received poor ratings under the district's newly implemented IMPACT evaluation system. Seventy-six were let go for not being properly licensed. Rhee also gave warning notices to 737 teachers who received "minimally effective" ratings and must improve their showing or face dismissal next year. Some teachers said the evaluation system is unfair, and the teachers union said it will contest the firings. The Washington Post

Opinion: Why the IMPACT system and D.C. firings are unfair:

The teacher-evaluation system that Washington, D.C., Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee used to justify firing 165 teachers is flawed and unfair, according to Washington Post education writer and blogger Valerie Strauss. In this blog post, Strauss writes that the IMPACT evaluation system judges teachers on 22 points -- all of which must be observed in five 30-minute observation periods. However, excellent teachers who do not demonstrate all of the necessary teaching elements in one class period would be rated poorly, she adds. The Washington Post/The Answer Sheet blog