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State Education Commissioner John B. King, Jr. announced that as of noon today, January 14, the State Education Department (SED) had approved 656 school district teacher and principal evaluation plans (95 percent of the school districts in the state). Twenty-nine school districts need to re-submit plans based on SED鈥檚 review. Six districts have not submitted negotiated plans for review, including New York City. King said he approved the resubmitted Yonkers City School District鈥檚 plan earlier today.

"We鈥檝e made remarkable progress," King said. "Our staff is available around the clock to help districts meet the deadline even at this late date.

"But this is not a rubber stamp process. We will not sacrifice quality for expediency just to approve a last minute submission. Every district鈥檚 plan must be consistent with the law.

"The deadline set by the Governor and the Legislature is closing in. Evaluation plans must be听approved听by January 17, and that approval process takes time. Every plan we鈥檝e received so far has required some revisions. The sooner a district submits a plan, the more likely it is we can work with them to ensure that plan is approved. The goal is to make certain every student graduates from high school college- and career-ready. Effective evaluation plans that ensure every classroom is headed by a quality teacher and every school is headed by a quality principal will take us a long way toward that goal."

For a list of the remaining 35 school districts without approved evaluation plans, please visit听.