Merit Pay for Missouri Teachers would Help all Teachers, Especially Rural Teachers

Merit pay needs to come to Missouri to get our education program back on track. This is not to say this is the only thing that needs to be done, but it would be a huge advancement. Merit pay would entice better teachers to join the career. It would also help keep the best teachers around.

In rural areas, there are fewer attractions that can lure great teachers here. But we have students here with great potential, ones that just need the right teachers to help them. Some people would love to teach but cannot afford the salary reduction they would face. Merit pay could encourage the best people to enter the field. My community faces the lack of outstanding teachers perhaps more so than big cities and merit pay could help combat that problem.

Hopefully, people will start to realize some teachers are worth more, and some are worth less. Teachers should not be paid based on how long they have been teaching, but should be paid based on how well their students are learning.

I am sure we would see a dramatic increase in distinguished teachers. And this would only lead to more successful students.