In this last week before state lawmakers head into a two-week spring break, bills that would impact teacher evaluation and snow day waivers could be discussed in committees this week.

Make your voice heard with your state representative and senator on HB 4221 which would return the percentage of an educator’s annual evaluation that is tied to student growth measures to 25 percent from 40 percent.

Read more about the legislation, and tell your story to urge lawmakers to pass this long overdue legislation. Evaluation is scheduled to be a topic on the agenda for both the House and Senate Education Committees this week.

In addition, a bill that would permanently waive days that schools are closed during a state of emergency declared by the governor passed out of the Education Committee last week — without language that would hold hourly employees harmless in terms of lost pay for those days.

HB 4206 has been sent to the House Ways and Means committee for further review. Please contact your legislators and urge them to pass this legislation with protections for hourly employees, who have lost significant amounts of pay due to this winter’s extreme weather.