Time to rethink salaries

While Columbia is getting ready to vote on a tax levy increase,(more info in the Columbia Tribune) I am wondering about several issues. First off, does anyone realize how much Phyllis Chase, the superintendent makes? Over $200,000!!! Now she wants people to find areas that could take cuts and present that to the board, media, and voters to show what would be cut were the tax levy not to pass. Hopefully, every person comes in with a list of over-paid people such as herself and the other dozen or so people that make over $100,000 and show how we can cut their salaries to off set any needs. This brings me to another point, teachers getting paid.

There is constant disagreement on whether teachers get paid enough for what they do. I have my opinions on this but I am not exactly discussing that. What I would like to discuss is paying teachers for how well they teach or how bad they teach. The higher administrators seem to get increases if the children perform better, why shouldn't the teachers get paid better if their students do well? With the possible tax increases or budget cuts looming, we need to be sure we are not paying teachers who are not doing the job well. Teachers can get raises based on the number of years worked or the educational background they have, and I can see why some would think that was the best option...maybe even the only option. We need to adapt, to change the way we think... we need to actually think in terms of results. Why should we keep paying teachers more if they are not even teaching the children well? Wouldn't we be better off paying the ones who are excellent teachers instead? The end goal is to teach the children well and get them ready for the rest of their lives. Let's start paying teachers based on their performance, not their resume!