By Ashleigh Costello
EAGnews.org

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – New legislation that would have reformed California’s teacher evaluation system stalled in the state Senate’s Education Committee for a second time in a week.

The union-opposed bill was granted reconsideration by the committee last week after deadlocking on a 4-4 vote. It failed to pass again Tuesday, although a vote total was not immediately available.

MORE NEWS: From Classroom to Consulate Chef: Culinary Student Lands Dream Job at U.S. Embassy in Paris

The bill, sponsored by Democratic Sen. Ron Calderon, would create a four-tiered evaluation system for teachers, replacing the current system which ranks teachers only as satisfactory or unsatisfactory. It would also increase the frequency of evaluations for veteran teachers from at least every five years to at least every three years, reports the Sacramento Bee.

At Tuesday’s hearing, Calderon emphasized the bill would have no effect on collective bargaining contracts, nor would it dictate how schools implement the new grading system.

“I am not, in this piece of legislation, prescribing what those levels should be or what they should say,” Calderon said.

The Sacramento-based school reform organization StudentsFirst, led by former Washington, D.C. schools chancellor Michelle Rhee, urged supporters of the legislation to attend the hearing, according to the news site.

Many who testified in favor of a more rigorous evaluation system pointed out that students are graded on a five-tiered system and teachers should be similarly assessed.

Los Angeles teacher Jeanette Marrone was one of many teachers in attendance at the emotion-filled hearing.  Marrone said she and many colleagues support the bill, despite the opposition of their union.

MORE NEWS: Know These Before Moving From Cyprus To The UK

“The majority of teachers like me want to get that (additional) feedback,” Marrone said. “I’m a highly effective teacher, not just a satisfactory one.”

Community college professor Lisa Cain voiced similar frustrations.

“When you have an evaluation, you then have a competitive edge,” Cain said. “It helps you gauge whether your students look at you with a sense of confidence that you know what you’re doing.”

Calderon said he was disappointed the bill failed to advance, but remained optimistic.

“Those defending the status quo won the day, and while I am disappointed, I am hopeful that at some point the legislature will show the leadership necessary to guarantee our children have the best teachers possible,” he said in a statement.