Teachers - merit pay?

[ahisma]

What does merit pay represent in your district? I know that it's district specific, I'm wondering what the range is.

In DH's district it's $30. Annually.

[kijip]

In DH's district it's $30. Annually.

How could that possibly be effective incentive? You're a great teacher so here's $30 and try not to spend it all in one place! Um, ok.

[TwinFoxes]

How could that possibly be effective incentive? You're a great teacher so here's $30 and try not to spend it all in one place! Um, ok.

That's just silly. I have no idea what it is (or if it exists) where I live. But in DC it's on a scale, and can be pretty significant. It's a controversial system, and not all teachers except their bonuses.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinio...bYK_story.html

[swrc00]

I teach outside of Atlanta and there is not merit pay. I have also worked in two districts in VA and they didn't have it there either.

[zag95]

I teach in Oregon. In my district no merit pay. So you're saying $30 for the year? Gee, that isn't even a nice dinner out.

[hellokitty]

I don't even know if our district offers merit pay. I didn't know it even existed, but the example you posted makes me think that if most of them are set up for $30, that's pretty lame.

[FLYAND]

I don't even know if our district offers merit pay. I didn't know it even existed, but the example you posted makes me think that if most of them are set up for $30, that's pretty lame.

$30 maybe lame, but it is better than nothing! Right? Besides how much more do they raise the prop taxes to cover that fund that is paying merit pay?

[kijip]

$30 maybe lame, but it is better than nothing! Right?

Actually, I don't think it is better. It sends the message that earning merit pay isn't really a big deal and is not something people need to bother about. I don't think any teachers on this board would need an incentive of merit pay to be a good teacher or work hard, but I have had more than a couple of not so great teachers over the years and there is no way $30 would get them to think about ways to earn merit pay. A laughably low amount is not the spirit of what merit pay is supposedly about- rewarding outstanding teachers. I think it would be better not to use merit pay at all if it is not something that can been taken seriously. Also handing an outstanding teacher $30 is an insult to all it takes the be an outstanding teacher. It's like working really hard for an A only to find out the dude who did not work very hard and wrote a so-so paper got an A-. Why bother?

[Green_Tea]

$30 maybe lame, but it is better than nothing! Right?

No, actually it's not. Teachers here are required to have a Master's Degree. $30 in "merit pay" is insulting. I couldn't take my family to see a movie for $30.

[ahisma]

DH has a Masters degree, plus 30 grad credits beyond that degree. He spent last summer taking classes re: the common core curriculum and stays after school for meetings (not in the contract, therefore not reflected in his salary) until 7-9 pm at least weekly, often requiring us to pay a babysitter. Some weeks, like this past week, he's at the school three evenings.

So yeah, $30 was pretty much a slap in the face. A heartfelt thank you (which did come in the form of a glowing review in his evaluation) without the monetary aspect would have been much better This puts a dollar value on his work - of $30. Ouch. That doesn't even cover our childcare costs for ONE of the voluntary meetings that he attends.