Long Island Teacher Clears Hurdle In Court Challenge Of Teacher Evaluations

GREAT NECK, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- The first individual legal challenge to New York's controversial teacher evaluation system can move forward, a judge ruled.

A state Supreme Court justice agreed this week that Great Neck teacher Sheri Lederman showed she suffered personal injury from the "ineffective" job rating she received last year.

Lederman, a fourth-grade teacher at Elizabeth M. Baker Elementary School, argued the rating was based on statistical flaws and that it was unfair to tie her effectiveness to student test scores. She received an "effective" rating the previous year.

Attorneys for the state argued Lederman had no standing to sue and did not suffer any injury because her rating was confidential under state law. They also said the test scores were only part of her overall evaluation, which received an "effective" rating.

The preliminary ruling was refreshing, Lederman told WCBS 880 Long Island Bureau Chief Mike Xirinachs.

"Teachers are being harmed by this model, and in turn, the children are being harmed," she said.

The veteran educator said she hopes to change the system or have it thrown out.

"It's not that we want teacher evaluation gone," Lederman said. "We just want it to be fair and unbiased."

A hearing is scheduled for Aug. 12.