Obama Rep Endorses Pay Based on Student Performance
From contributing blogger David Hoff:
At an event in Washington today, Jane Swift explained where Sen. John McCain stands on rewarding teachers based on the improvement of their students. The Arizona Republican would give extra pay to teachers who "measurably raise" student achievement, the former Massachusetts governor told the audience of business leaders.
No surprise there.
The shocker came when Jason Kamras, the representative of the Obama campaign, essentially agreed with Swift.
In answering a question, Kamras said that "student achievement does need to be part of that equation" in performance-pay plans.
It's a bit of a departure from what Sen. Barack Obama has said during the campaign. On July 5, the Illinois Democrat told the National Education Association he wants to experiment with "new ways to define teacher pay that are developed with teachers and not imposed on teachers." He never mentioned whether he believes test scores should be part of the equation.
But Kamras cited the pay-for-increasing student achievement as an example of how Obama is "willing to challenge the orthodoxy on both the left and the right in the best interest of children."
Obama's teacher-pay plans are "something of a departure for those on the the left," said Kamras, the National Teacher of the Year in 2005 and the director of human capital strategy for the District of Columbia Public Schools.
Comments
Do you suppose any money to be gotten will only be awarded to teachers who "measurably raise" academic achievement scores at Title I schools?
If they only consider the Title I schools, what sense does that make because it is likely the teacher's "bonus" to do a job they are supposed to be doing in the first place is highly likely to come out of Title I grants, which takes from the children.
Additionally, I would just like folks to honestly implement and enforce parent involvement laws first and if that does not increase scores....then throw money to the wind, or simply grease the squeakiest wheel during that season.
Posted by: Kathy | July 16, 2008 11:59 PM
Until our govt. makes parents accountable for their children we are basically wasting tax dollars. Rewarding teacxhers for raising scores is going to drive more teachers into other professions. Each year I return to school we have 5 or more new teachers replacing the ones who exit the profession. it has become apparent to everyone that there are more demands and less pay. I am spending more of my personal money to teach my classes and then not being rewarded by my elected officials in words and finances. Teaching is the only profession in the world that is not valued in this country.
Posted by: Ms. L Brooks | August 25, 2008 7:33 PM