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Teachers Defend Unions and Tenure, Criticize Pay for Performance
NCPA Daily Policy Digest ^ | June18, 2003 | Steve Farkas, Jean Johnson and Ann Duffett

Posted on 06/18/2003 5:15:50 PM PDT by bruinbirdman

Teachers are concerned about being held accountable for student achievement, according to a recent nationwide survey by Public Agenda.

o Many teachers (59 percent) say that they resent being held accountable for the standardized test scores of their students while simultaneously being faced with uninvolved parents, unruly and unmotivated students, and overcrowded classrooms.

o Half oppose any type of merit pay that rewards teachers whose students score higher on standardized tests -- although 70 percent believe that teachers who work in difficult neighborhoods or low-performing schools should receive rewards ("combat pay").

Most teachers report feeling vulnerable to highly politicized school districts, unfair charges from students and parents, and inflexible bureaucratic rules -- but more than three-fourths say that their union is their one unflagging ally.

The majority of teachers polled also say they support the tenure system (58 percent) as a way to avoid unfair discrimination in determining raises, but some were critical of its flaws:

o More than a third (38 percent) complained that the tenure system prevents administrators from firing all but the very worst teachers.

o And a majority (61 percent) said that the tenure system unfairly allows veteran teachers to choose classes with easier students while leaving inexperienced teachers with the hardest-to-reach kids.

The three reforms teachers thought were most needed to improve the quality of teaching are reducing class size, increasing pay for all teachers, and making it easier to reward outstanding teachers. Only eight percent said that accepting new teachers from other professions without formal training ("alternative certification") would improve teacher quality.

Source: Steve Farkas, Jean Johnson and Ann Duffett, "Stand By Me: What Teachers Really Think About Unions, Merit Pay and Other Professional Matters," Public Agenda, May 30, 2003.

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1 posted on 06/18/2003 5:16:00 PM PDT by bruinbirdman
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To: bruinbirdman
The three reforms teachers thought were most needed to improve the quality of teaching are reducing class size, increasing pay for all teachers, and making it easier to reward outstanding teachers. Only eight percent said that accepting new teachers from other professions without formal training ("alternative certification") would improve teacher quality.

In other words..leave us alone to create a nation of dolts. This should have been preceeded with a big BARF alert!

2 posted on 06/18/2003 5:22:23 PM PDT by Don Corleone
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To: bruinbirdman
Excuse me I am confused:
The three reforms teachers thought were most needed to improve the quality of teaching are ... and (3) making it easier to reward outstanding teachers... Yet,
Half oppose any type of merit pay that rewards teachers whose students score higher on standardized tests

How on earth do we make it easier to reward them than to use student scores on tests already in place?

3 posted on 06/18/2003 5:29:37 PM PDT by BlueNgold (Feed the Tree .....)
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To: Don Corleone
There is a simple answer that is not at all simple to implement:

Get goverment out of education.

4 posted on 06/18/2003 5:31:43 PM PDT by Principled
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To: BlueNgold
How on earth do we make it easier to reward them than to use student scores on tests already in place?

Good question.

Standardized tests are not a good measure. They seem to be the only measure in a gov't run institution.

Factors to consider are:
-pre-existing level of performance
why be judged harshly on the scores of a student who came in knowing nothing? why be rewarded on the scored of a student who came in totally prepared?

-quality of student Why be judged harshly for the scores of a student who is only in school to eat and sleep and care nothing about some test? Why be rewarded for the scores of a kid who is brilliant and requires no teaching whatsoever?

Unfortunately, public schools see waaaay more of the negative student. 5-10% of students in my district are there due to court order - either jail or school. Many more don't even speak English. Some don't have any food at home and come to eat. Some others must work (high school) night and come to school only because the law forces them.

There is no standardized test for public schools. You can look at SAT, but that's just the college bound, motivated student with involved parents.

baby ... gotta go!

5 posted on 06/18/2003 5:56:16 PM PDT by Principled
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To: Principled
Those factors can all be discerned from proper analysis of annual tests.
6 posted on 06/18/2003 5:59:56 PM PDT by BlueNgold (Feed the Tree .....)
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To: bruinbirdman
I’ve heard accounts from the black godmother of my youngest child who works for the HISD school system as a student advocate tell me some black teachers have accused her of acting white because she questioned them about their qualifications and their limited grasp of spelling and grammar. She was a major lib when I met her but she's coming around.
7 posted on 06/18/2003 6:19:34 PM PDT by Desron13
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To: bruinbirdman
As a teacher, I can tell you most my peers are idiots.
8 posted on 06/18/2003 6:20:07 PM PDT by Porterville (I support US total global, world domination; how's that for sensitive??)
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To: Principled
There is a simple answer that is not at all simple to implement: Get goverment out of education.

I wholeheartedly agree, and also unfortunately believe this country's gone too far down the road to implement it.

Reminds me of why Marx endorsed free public education.

9 posted on 06/18/2003 6:24:47 PM PDT by Marathoner
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To: BlueNgold
Well, some people say you can...
10 posted on 06/18/2003 6:24:55 PM PDT by Principled
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To: Marathoner
Reminds me of why Marx endorsed free public education.

Actually, so did Thomas Jefferson. Jeferson never wanted anything but local control though.

11 posted on 06/18/2003 6:27:41 PM PDT by Principled
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To: BlueNgold
Those factors can all be discerned from proper analysis of annual tests.

How?
12 posted on 06/18/2003 6:28:11 PM PDT by Principled
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To: Principled
Yes, Local control and more importantly, local funding. The teachers unions are pushing their agenda from the national level where its almost impossible to effect change. This is their strategy.
13 posted on 06/18/2003 6:32:23 PM PDT by Desron13
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