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Debate On Teacher Merit Pay Begins In House
March 16, 2011
The Florida House spent more than three hours Tuesday debating the teacher merit pay bill (SB 736) that ties teacher pay to test scores and eliminates the use of multi-year contracts.
Democrats questioned how school districts could afford to implement these reforms when there is no additional funding for pay increases.
“There are no dollars attached to a merit increase,” said Rep. Mark Pafford, D-West Palm Beach. “So where is the carrot?”
The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Erik Fresen, R-Miami, said school districts are only required to have an evaluation system tied to test scores in place. It is left up to each school district when to award raises.
The passage of this bill is all but assured because it has the backing of the Republican-dominated House and Senate and the governor. The House is expected to approve the bill on Wednesday after more debate, sending it to Gov. Rick Scott, who is expected to sign it.
Democrats could do little to stop the legislation from advancing Tuesday, instead spending hours on the House floor pointing out what they said were the bill’s flaws and offering amend
Comments
8 Responses to “Debate On Teacher Merit Pay Begins In House”
Art said….some teachers teach as effectively in a large classroom as a small. think music…
I said…So art…are you suggesting that music should be taught in the same way that, say, political science or agri-science should be taught? Or that if a class doesn’t have 40 students who want to take it it should not be taught?
Might I suggest that some teachers who teach music are not necessarily the right ones to teach history?
While I supported George Bush when he initiated this No Child Left behind, I am not so sure about it now. But I try not to be one to complain about any and everything until I think there is a feasible alternative.
It’s just that I am wondering as to what format people want things to take. I mean something besides “let’s do it the way we did it when I grew up!” or “Dang those Godless Commies anyway!”.
Just curious as to what you are saying here. Point is, lots of times it depends on what is being taught and the environment it’s being taught in. It’s not just about the individual who is teaching it.
hawghead…I take it you are a union man since you attended the AFL- CIO COPE?
I attended the Florida AFL-CIO COPE convention last year in Jacksonville. The teachers union delegates there, and there were hundreds, bragged about how they lobbied to get the class size amendment passed. I’m not saying that the teachers do not deserve a union, just a different one that cares about education. The only thing the NEA cares about is power and power comes thru money that is paid to them thru union dues. The NEA does not or never have had the teachers best interests in mind. They don’t care about the schools, the students, education or the teachers. All they care about is power and money. It’s time for Florida to knock the NEA down a notch or two. Put education back into the schools control not some union that does not care…
if you want to fix the system, start, and it must be the first thing, give teachers autonomy. do that and people that use those higher cognitive skills will be beating a path to your doorway. higher pay for higher production works for manual laborers, but we are talking teachers. they are different. they speak a language all their own. mostly acronyms. its almost like a cult.
in a good way.
some teachers teach as effectively in a large classroom as a small. think music… what will get teachers attention is giving them freedom and autonomy. now that right there would turn the education system on its ear! i know it is radical, but teachers dont think like the vast majority of us do. they are weird. different.
hate to tell you this hawghead my friend (love what you post dude), but class size, thats due in a big way to NCLB. but everything else, yah, you said it!
The teachers union will find a way around this if it passes. They have already got the size of classes lowered to the lowest average in 40 yrs. Less students per teacher equals more teachers which inturn equals more union dues. If I do not perform well at my job, I get fired. So why shouldn’t the same apply to teachers? Everyone should be held to certain standards in their field of employment. Way to go senate republicans, keep up the good work…..
there is no funding for pay increases but buddy, you best believe we got the funding for the standardized testing. the sky is the limit when it comes to the federally mandated No Child Left Behind. makes me want to BARF.