Obama + Daugaard + merit pay = sad teachers
President Obama had some teachers cringing and Gov. Daugaard’s office smiling when he mentioned the value of great teachers and hinted at merit pay during last night’s State of the Union address.
We know a good teacher can increase the lifetime income of a classroom by over $250,000. A great teacher can offer an escape from poverty to the child who dreams beyond his circumstance. Every person in this chamber can point to a teacher who changed the trajectory of their lives. Most teachers work tirelessly, with modest pay, sometimes digging into their own pocket for school supplies — just to make a difference.
Teachers matter. So instead of bashing them, or defending the status quo, let’s offer schools a deal. Give them the resources to keep good teachers on the job, and reward the best ones. (Applause.) And in return, grant schools flexibility: to teach with creativity and passion; to stop teaching to the test; and to replace teachers who just aren’t helping kids learn. That’s a bargain worth making. (Applause.)
If you’ve been paying attention to the national education scene, you know that Obama and Education Secretary Arne Duncan believe in merit pay for teachers and that the teachers unions generally don’t like that.
Daugaard is just one of several Republican governors who already have implemented or who want to implement performance pay for teachers.
Although Obama didn’t get specific about what he wants to do with merit pay — Education Week speculates here about existing programs Obama could use to further performance pay — parts of Obama’s speech sounded like Daugaard’s recent State of the State address, in which he announced his (not universally appreciated) plan for $5,000 bonuses for the top 20 percent of teachers:
The key to obtaining high achievement for our students is to have great teachers.
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South Dakota needs to focus on Investing in Teachers. Our goal in South Dakota is to increase student achievement, and our focus must be on attracting and retaining great teachers. We need clear standards, rigorous measurement, and rewards for excellence.
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When [the Common Core Standards, a new school accountability system and better teacher evaluations] are completely in place, these pieces will allow us to reward our best teachers. Beginning in the 2014-15 school year, we will ask schools to identify their very best teachers – the top 20 percent in each district – based upon the new evaluation system. Under the Investing in Teachers Initiative, the state will give every teacher in the top 20 percent a bonus of $5000.
