Proposition 74 (2005) was aballot proposition in the2005 California special election that intended to extend probationary periods for the state's public school teachers from two years to five before attainingtenure. It failed at the polls, with 55% of voters rejecting it.
New Jersey became the first state to pass tenure legislation when, in 1910, it granted fair-dismissal rights to college professors.[1] The Incumbent law, passed in 1983, required that teachers be evaluated for performance during a two-year probationary period before gaining tenure.[2] In the winter of 2004, California GovernorArnold Schwarzenegger sponsored a bill to amend thestate Constitution to require merit pay for teachers. The state legislature voted against the bill in February 2005.[3] The following month, Governor Schwarzenegger formally endorsed the Put Kids First Act, written and submitted by Assemblymember Bonnie Garcia (Republican,Cathedral City). That act laid out the conditions for Proposition 74, including increasing the probationary period from two to five years and allowing school districts to dismiss teachers who receive two consecutive negative job evaluations. It qualified for the ballot on June 6.[4]
Proposition 74: Public School Teachers. Waiting Period for Permanent Status. Dismissal. Initiative Statute.
Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local governments:
Governor Schwarzenegger, formerUnited States Secretary of State and economic advisor to the governor,George Shultz, and Fresno County Superintendent of Schools Pete Mehas supported Proposition 74.[3] Prop 74 was one of four propositions (the other three were73,75, and76) that the governor touted as his reform package.
One major point the proponents constantly cited was a horror story: ARiverside teacher swore at her students, showed themR-rated movies, and generally was a bad teacher; however, due to tenure rules, the district had to pay the teacher US$25,000 to quit. They said Proposition 74 would make it easier to fire these kinds of teachers because they had a longer tenure period and less paperwork and procedures to fire a teacher.[5]
California's two teachers unions, theCalifornia Teachers Association andCalifornia Federation of Teachers, and state superintendent of educationJack O'Connell, opposed the measure.[3] The union's arguments against Proposition 74 included that its new requirements would discourage new teachers and encourage school districts to lay off older teachers, who cost more in salary and benefits, while doing little to nothing to improve classrooms.[2]
On November 8, 2005, California voters soundly rejected the proposition, with 44.8% voting for and 55.2% voting against.
