We've been hearing for a long time from sources like the NEA that our teachers are underpaid. Apparently that is not exactly true--well, for some, not at all true. In fact, The Champion Foundation shows that compared to many other careers, teachers can and do recieve good compensation. The problem lies not in how much they are paid, but really in how they are paid.
When I look at my public school system in the suburbs, I see rising drop out rates and continuing decrease in educational advancements. My parents moved us to the county years ago to escape the failing city schools. Now that my kids are in the county schools, I wonder if I need to move to the country?! I believe the problem lies within the system itself and it was only a matter of time before we would see the problems we now face in our local county schools.
One facet of the system that makes no sense at all is the fact that no matter what a teachers' performance is, they get paid and they are entitled to more pay simply for sticking around--regardless of their impact or failure to impact the students they reach everyday.
The concept of tying a teachers wages to their performance simply makes sense and though the concept works in all other businesses, it's not applied to the business of education. I am not suggesting that we measure only by standardized tests--that system is inherently flawed and is a result of the flawed No Child Left Behind legislation, among other flawed policies and measurements. But to measure the increase in test scores, not just the test scores would be a good starting point.
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