Today I want to focus on that President Obama wants to try and institute merit pay for teachers. I can fully get behind a plan that rewards teachers for being good teachers and identifies the bad teachers. This is something I talk about with my students when we discuss the bureaucracy in the federal government. One of the major features of a bureacracy is hiring, firing, and promotions based on a person's merit in their position. This is a set standard of objectives or criteria to determine who is best. We discuss as a class how would be judge teachers on a merit based pay system. Listed below is my system for merit pay for teachers. Enjoy and comment.
Evaluations
5-15% pay increase next year
- Administrators - based on four unannounced observations a year, at least once a quarter.
- Departments - dept. heads have to observe each teacher in the department at least once a quarter.
- Colleagues - each teacher in the building is assigned to observe another teacher in the school four times a year, at least once a quarter. Department heads are exempted from these because of their department observation.
- Students - Students are asked to evaluate their teacher’s anonymously each quarter, semester or when they transfer out of the class. Evaluations use a standardized questionnaire. Results given to administrators, teachers and parents.
- Parents - Parents are asked to evaluate their teacher’s anonymously each quarter, semester or when they transfer out of the class. Evaluations use a standardized questionnaire. Results given to administrators, teachers and parents.
Professional Development
5-10% pay increase the next year
- Based on degree, advancement in that degree and other forms of professional development taken in a set period of time outside of school
- Classes must be within your appropriate field for credit
- Reviewed on an annual basis during end of the year evaluations.
Experience
3-5% pay increase the next year
- Number of years teaching and subject matter
- Provides minimum amount of upgrade in pay (i.e. cost of living)
- Given if no other increase is earned for the next year
School Involvement
Paid during/after the completion of extra curricular activities
- Paid on an hourly rate or by a lump stipend
- Includes any after-school clubs, associations, school or district committees, etc
Teacher Salary Cap
Controls public spending of teacher salaries
- Teacher salary is capped at $???,???/year
- Annual Bonus system for teachers who continue to get good evaluations and continue their education
Teacher promotions to administration
- Minimum amount of time in district before apply to become an administrator
- Teacher’s / Administrators must provide evaluations from that minimum period when applying
