Poll: Majority Says Performance Should Guide Teacher Layoffs

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - A new poll shows 68 percent of Minnesotans say a teacher's performance, not his or her seniority, should be the deciding factor in making layoff decisions.

The results of a Minnesota newspaper's poll were published Sunday. It found that Minnesotans across party lines, across the state, and from all age groups supported performance over seniority when public schools are faced with layoffs.

Teacher seniority rules have become one of the more contentious issues at the Capitol this session. GOP-sponsored legislation would require school districts to revise layoff procedures, but the teachers union is against it.

The telephone poll of 625 Minnesotans was taken March 16th through March 18th. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.