Teacher merit pay

mannybolone

Not to turn this into a but I'm really trying to figure out why politicians on both sides are so hot for this. It doesn't make sense to me how you can evaluate good teaching via student test scores - the two things aren't exactly unrelated but nor would they correlate in some 1:1 ratio. Especially with schools that have different trackings - honors or AP classes for example - wouldn't those teachers be in a far better position to benefit, not necessarily through any innovation or work of their own? I'm all for accountability but I cram to understand how this would possibly work well.

fishmongerfunk

i think an evaluation based solely on test-scores could be extremely misleading for so so many reasons, but i don;t see why it couldn;t be part of a broader matrix.

mannybolone

Actually, now that I'm doing what I should have done first - look at how these plans have been instituted elsewhere - it's making more sense.

In Louisiana, the balance is 30% overall school scores (which means each campus is held accountable), 50% peer review and then 20% for individual class scores.

I still think using test scores as a metric is a poor idea but it seems unlikely we're going to move off that basic standard any time soon.

fishmongerfunk

the major issue, as i understand it, is that any evalution of this type is bound to overlook or devalue the collaborative nature of teaching and running a school which i suppose is a variant of what you are saying: teaching is seemingly far too dynamic a profession to be evaluated accurately.

LaserWolf

Actually, now that I'm doing what I should have done first - look at how these plans have been instituted elsewhere - it's making more sense.

In Louisiana, the balance is 30% overall school scores (which means each campus is held accountable), 50% peer review and then 20% for individual class scores.

I still think using test scores as a metric is a poor idea but it seems unlikely we're going to move off that basic standard any time soon.

To evaluate teachers, test teachers, not students.

Peer review aint good enough.
There should be 360 reviews.
Peers, administrators, students, parents. 360.

Test scores, or grades, could be part of the mix, as you have above.

But teachers already get paid less (in many states) if they work in high poverty school districts. And paid more if they work in affluent school districts.
We shouldn't pay a teacher a bonus for teaching native speakers who have their own room and computer and went to a baby academy.
While punishing teachers whose students are learning English, share a bed with other siblings, have no computer access and have moved every year of their life.

Reynaldo

How about using the amount of student/class improvement in test scores (beginning of the year versus end of the year, or similar) as the metric? The advantage in ability to improve academically independent of the teacher still might be with generally higher performing groups of students (so a mediocre teacher at this level might not stand out as much), but an exceptional teacher amongst a generally lower performing group has a good chance of raising student scores by a greater amount than their mediocre peers would amongst a higher group, it would seem. Though I've read studies that suggest otherwise.

motown67

I doubt peer review would be teachers evaluating other teachers. It's probably evaluations done by the administration. In my district you have to go up for review every other year.

Also on differences, schools in the suburbs would probably score much better, and those teachers on average already get paid more than those in urban districts so this evaluation process would just perpetuate inequalities between teachers that already exist overall.

djanna

I would LOVE to get paid based on the quality of my work!

If it was based on peer review and administrator evaluations I would make BANK!

If it was based on test scores, I would be BROKE.

As a special ed teacher choosing to work in low-performing schools, I'm curious to see how they can design a system that is fair to me and my peers.

LaserWolf

I doubt peer review would be teachers evaluating other teachers. It's probably evaluations done by the administration. In my district you have to go up for review every other year.

Also on differences, schools in the suburbs would probably score much better, and those teachers on average already get paid more than those in urban districts so this evaluation process would just perpetuate inequalities between teachers that already exist overall.

Thats my point.

That and 360 reviews.

LaserWolf

I would LOVE to get paid based on the quality of my work!

If it was based on peer review and administrator evaluations I would make BANK!

If it was based on test scores, I would be BROKE.

As a special ed teacher choosing to work in low-performing schools, I'm curious to see how they can design a system that is fair to me and my peers.

special ed (do you call it that in CA?) teachers have a special place in heaven.
Because there are almost no rewards here.

There is a belief that special needs teachers burn out fast.
At the school I am in most there is an amazing teacher who runs the special needs classroom who has been there for years and teachers with the energy of a first year teacher.

The class room is for children with medical, not behavioral needs. They range from autistic to a child who lived at a local hospital who came with a full nurse and tubes and who knows what. No one knew whether or not the child could see or hear.

I salute special ed teachers.

Your pay should be based on 360 reviews.