SAANYS Congratulates and Thanks Sheri and Bruce Lederman for Persevering and Prevailing in APPR Action

SAANYS pleased to share the attached decision of acting Supreme Court Justice Roger McDonough concluding that Sheri Lederman’s APPR rating was “arbitrary and capricious. ”  SAANYS congratulates and thanks Sheri and her husband Bruce who served as her attorney, for their tenacity and leadership in demonstrating that the methodology used to generate state-developed growth scores is seriously flawed and unreliable.

Sheri is a fourth grade teacher in the Great Neck School District, located in Nassau County on Long Island. Sheri has about 20 years of teaching experience and is described by her supervisors as an “extraordinary teacher” and many of her students’ parents describe her as “one of the most influential educators” their children have ever had. In addition, her students performed at more than twice the statewide average on the common core-aligned state assessments. However, despite such considerations, in subcomponent 1 of her APPR evaluation, based on the state-developed growth score methodology, she received 1 point out of 20.  We at SAANYS have heard many similar results, as well as wide year-to-year rating fluctuations from many other educators.

Although the decision is specific to Sheri Lederman due to revisions of regulations, it constitutes a clear indictment of this non-transparent, incomprehensible procedure that many refer to as a “black box” with calculations that some characterize as “voodoo mathematics.” It will certainly have implications for APPR system revisions in New York State and in other states.

Note: For those who would like a more reader friendly description of the court decision, attached here is an article from The Washington Post.