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Teacher Amanda Morton reads a story to kindergarten students at Harlem Success Academy, a free, public elementary charter school in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City on March 30, 2009.

The California legislature will consider changing how teachers are dismissed. State Senator Bob Huff will introduce SB 955 today—and Governor Schwarzenegger has thrown his weight behind it. If passed, public schools will be able to fire and assign teachers based on their performance, unlike the current system which only allows schools to use seniority as a factor in layoff decisions. Schools would also be allowed to issue layoff notices as late as June and school boards—not a state commission—will have final say over dismissals. Would the bill damage teachers’ rights? Or would the changes promote better, more efficient, education in California?

Guests:

Bonnie Reiss, Governor's Secretary of Education

A.J. Duffy, President, United Teachers Los Angeles