President Obama announced an ambitious program for our education system today that covers kids from pre-school to college. He is determined that we become a nation of achievers and that our schools are centers of academic excellence with "world-class standards that will bring our curriculums to the 21st century". It would be excellent to have a country where pre-schoolers are making islands and peninsulas on their sand tables and learning to count and measure in pint-sized kitchen centers. Where elementary schools teach with the latest technologies and high schools students can succeed at curriculums as advanced as any in the world. Where anyone can attend college or obtain the training that leads to a rewarding career.
JUMP
As with most of the President’s challenges to the country, his education agenda reaches high while laying out clear objectives to put educators, parents and students on the same path. "The future belongs to the nation that best educates its citizens", he said and repeated his admonishment to high school students that they owed it to themselves and their country to stay in school. He soon turned to the most important aspect of education reform, and that is the importance of quality teachers, saying "From the moment students enter a school, the most important factor in their success is not the color of their skin or the income of their parents, it’s the person standing at the front of the classroom."
The most controversial of the President’s proposals is the introduction of a monetary rewards system for teachers. This is usually disparaged as "merit pay" by teachers and teachers’ unions, and the arguments against it are varied and mostly sound. Teaching is by necessity a collaborative effort and conflict between teachers is not beneficial. Teaching can become rote and mechanical and fail to teach critical thinking skills. Evaluation can be subjective and arbitrary, or unfair in schools where there is little room for improvement as students are already at the top.
Still, President Obama insists there is room to encourage and reward exceptional teachers. "New teachers will be mentored by experienced ones. Good teachers will be rewarded with more money for improved student achievement, and asked to accept more responsibilities for lifting up their schools. Teachers throughout a school will benefit from guidance and support to help them improve."
In other words, President Obama is not talking about a 1700s "pay for performance" testing model of merit pay. A classroom of students droning out endless repetitions of reading, math and history is not what is envisioned; according to Robert Gibbs, Obama press secretary. In fact, it might look like the system in Denver where, according to Gibbs, "the school system and teachers worked together to create a plan that was ultimately passed as part of a referendum.."
The Denver program was designed with the cooperation of the union and the administration, and a key element was allowing teachers the choice of opting into the Professional Compensation System known as ProComp. In fact, most of the teachers don’t opt in and are still working under the traditional seniority system. Still, some of the aspects of Denver’s program are worth considering as we continue to attempt to improve our children’s educational outcomes.
KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS
Professional Development Unit - Teachers are eligible for 2% salary increases upon the completion of approved courses and demonstration of the acquired skills.Graduate Degree/National Board Certificates - Teachers who earn graduate degrees or certificates from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards will receive a salary increase of 9% of the index for the life of the degree or certificate.
Tuition and Student Loan Reimbursement - Teachers will receive reimbursement for up to $4,000 lifetime, $1000 in year, for tuition for current coursework or to pay off outstanding student loans.
MARKET INCENTIVES
Hard to Staff - Teachers/specialists who work in positions that are considered difficult to fill, supply is low and turnover is high.will receive a 6.4% of Index non-base building incentive.Hard to Serve - Teachers/specialists at schools considered hard to serve, based on high percentage of free and reduced lunch, will receive a 6.4% Index non-base building incentive every year the school is eligible.
STUDENT GROWTH OBJECTIVES
Objectives are job-based, measurable and focus on student growth. Objectives also measure learning content, intervention priorities, intervention strategies, and the steps taken to meet goals. Objectives can be department related, school specific or district wide. Objectives might include increasing the number of hearing disabled children in mainstream classes or adapting new technology for visually imparied students.
Objectives must be discussions at least three times per year.
SGO must be approved by Principal or Supervisor to be eligible for incentive.
SGO must be determined by Principal or Supervisor.
Employees with two decisions of "Met SGO" earn a salary increase of 1% of the index.
Employees with one decision of "Met SGO" will receive a bonus of 1% of the index.
PROFESSIONAL EVALUATION PAYMENT ELIGIBILITY
Once an employee is non-probationary, the employee is evaluated once every three years and is eligible for a 3% of index increase with a "satisfactory" evaluation.
Crosspost and Links: http://www.obama-mamas.com/...