Assembly Democrats fell two votes short Wednesday in their move to nullify Republican Gov. Kenny Guinn's veto of a bill that would have required school administrators to watch new teachers at work before evaluating them. Voting along party lines, the Assembly voted 26-15 to override Guinn's veto of Assembly Bill 332.
Legislators consider vetoed bills when they return to Carson City at their next legislative session.
The bill would have required school administrators or principals who evaluate new teachers to observe them at work in the classroom for at least one hour before making a written evaluation. Administrators also would have been required to advise teachers in writing the steps they needed to take if they had deficiencies. But the bill's sponsor, Assemblyman Bernie Anderson, D-Sparks, said the bill would bring administrator accountability and end the practice of administrators evaluating new teachers without seeing them work. Assembly Minority Leader Lynn Hettrick, R-Gardnerville, said the Washoe County and Clark County school districts had called on Guinn to veto the bill. Since the governor is a former teacher and superintendent, Hettrick said he understands education and knows the problems with the bill.