Obama Challenges Teachers' Unions on Merit Pay: Feat or Folly?
In a speech today, President Obama will lay out his plans on education reform, and in the process take on one of our country's most powerful labor groups: teachers' unions.
Obama is looking to merit pay to reward effective teachers, a sentiment that remains controversial and complex in our country's public schools. Our 2003 report Stand by Me: What Teachers Really Think about Unions, Merit Pay and Other Professional Matters addresses many of the topics that President Obama is looking towards and his policy plans seem to be something of a cafeteria takeaway of our report.
While unions tend to despise it, teachers have mixed feelings about merit pay, which Obama champions. Educators are in favor of higher pay for teachers who work in tough areas with low performing schools. They also would like to reward those teachers who consistently put forth more effort. But the picture is cloudy when it comes to how you measure these things.
In speaking out against standardized tests, Obama echoes what many teachers say in surveys. Teachers consistently reject the idea of merit pay based on higher test scores. They seem distrustful of these exams: four in ten cite "too much testing and not enough freedom to be creative" as a major drawback of their jobs. Obama called for better data systems for tracking student progress.
Teachers are also worried that merit pay might be an overly politicized process. Half (52 percent) of teachers surveyed believed that if merit pay is implemented, principals would use it to play favorites and reward teachers who are loyal to them or don't rock the boat. And six in ten believe that merit pay would foster unhealthy competition and jealousy rather than cooperation.
Teachers also have mixed feelings about unions. Unions are sometimes blamed for protecting bad teachers and almost half of teachers (47 percent) say that the union sometimes fights to protect teachers who really should be out of the classroom. At the same time, teachers also say unions serve a protective function, shielding them from abuse of powers by administrators, working in their favor for better working conditions and salaries through collective bargaining, and offering shelter to teachers facing unfair charges from parents or students. If Obama alienates the unions too sharply, he risks losing the favor of teachers themselves.
Obama also plans to address the dropout rate in the country as well. No doubt getting students through high school and on to college would make his goal of restoring the U.S. to the top spot of college educated countries by percentage. And students themselves are aware that dropouts are a serious problem. This is particularly pronounced among minority students. In our 2006 report Reality Check 2006, Issue 2: How Black and Hispanic Familes Rate Their School, 54 percent of black students say dropouts are a serious problem and 43 percent of Hispanic students say the same.
Halfway through his first 100 days, it appears that Obama is taking on yet another daunting challenge. Let us know your suggestions on the best way to reward good teachers and push out the bad ones. Is the union a friend or foe of the educational status quo? Can a move towards new standards and methods of evaluation set American education on the right track or is this just the same game with different rules?
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When will people who are not teachers realize that those of us who are face a problem that is exasperated by those who are not. The general public blames us for the failure of their children..HELLO!!! It is other CHILDREN and those that defend them that are part of the problem. I have a class of 26 sixth grades.. with 6 kids that are nothing but: disrespectful, argumentative, apathetic and could care less about their education. These 6 STEAL time away from the other 16 by constantly interrupting, bothering other students and just not wanting to do anything. I have sent them to the office numerous times, they have been suspended a few times and have had numerous conferences with their parents. Some parents even tell me that they don't know what to do. It is a battle everyday, but they are still in my class because they are protected under a statute known as FAPE (free and appropriate public education). What a croc that is. What about the other kids who could benefit from instructional time that is spent dealing with these six? Shouldn't they be entitled to an education under FAPE? Now it is almost the end of the school year.....64% of my class has passed the standardized test just given, with the remaining 36% failing...Now I am getting called to the carpet (blamed) for substandard teaching... Keep reading because I know some of you are thinking that I am doing a bad job. Of the 64% that passed the average of all scores was 92%, and the average of those who failed was 17% (the problem 6 plus 2 others that are influenced). ...I can teach, and those who want to learn do learn and learn a lot....Those in my class who feel that education is beneath them failed, and failed miserably... I am now on notice because I did not meet the required 75% class pass rate, and if i do not improve "my numbers" I should maybe pursue other avenues because "education has changed" and I have not...... DO SOMETHING ABOUT THOSE WHO DESTROY THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS!!!! THAT IS WHERE THE PROBLEM IS!!!!! Wake up... Johnny thinks he is going to be a pro athlete, and we "mean" teachers are affecting his self-esteem by giving him a failing grade. Come on.... My self-esteem was affected when I was put on notice.. Oh that's right, I LIVE IN THE REAL WORLD... Shouldn't we prepare our students for THAT WORLD too?
26 -- 6 = 20 not 16. That's the real world.
I am going to agree with the message above. Yes, 26-6=20, but the point that teacher was trying making is true. I pulled my own kids out of public school because of the problem kids that were in their classes. My kids were becoming apathetic, which is the point that I think that teacher was trying to make. Merit pay won't fix that.
To Anonymous who posted on March 10, 2009:
"When will people who are not teachers realize that those of us who are face a problem that is exasperated by those who are not."
An YOU'RE a teacher?!!!! First, I think you mean "exacerbated," NOT "exasperated." Secondly, the sentence demands a question mark at the end, and after the second "are," you need a comma.
Good heavens! Go back to school and learn grammar, vocabulary, etc. No wonder "the general public blames [you] for the failure of their children." It's patently obvious why!
Yes, I am for rewarding great teachers with bigger paychecks!!! It works well in so many other fields and it will work in teaching as well.
As a teacher for 35 years I know that Teachers and the NEA are on board with President Obama's Education Changes. It is not the old merit pay of the past that teachers/unions disliked that was related to principals. But rather a new way developed with teachers, not imposed upon them. I suggest you go to www.whitehouse.gov from now on to correct media slant.
Please read President Obama's full explanation:
* Reward Teachers: Obama and Biden will promote new and innovative ways to increase teacher pay that are developed with teachers, not imposed on them. Districts will be able to design programs that reward with a salary increase accomplished educators who serve as a mentors to new teachers. Districts can reward teachers who work in underserved places like rural areas and inner cities. And if teachers consistently excel in the classroom, that work can be valued and rewarded as well.
EDUCATION
President Obama and Vice President Biden believe that our kids and our country can’t afford four more years of neglect and indifference. At this defining moment in our history, America faces few more urgent challenges than preparing our children to compete in a global economy. The decisions our leaders make about education in the coming years will shape our future for generations to come. Obama and Biden are committed to meeting this challenge with the leadership and judgment that has been sorely lacking for the last eight years. Their vision for a 21st century education begins with demanding more reform and accountability, coupled with the resources needed to carry out that reform; asking parents to take responsibility for their children’s success; and recruiting, retaining, and rewarding an army of new teachers to fill new successful schools that prepare our children for success in college and the workforce. The Obama-Biden plan will restore the promise of America’s public education, and ensure that American children again lead the world in achievement, creativity and success.
Early Childhood Education
* Zero to Five Plan: The Obama-Biden comprehensive "Zero to Five" plan will provide critical support to young children and their parents. Unlike other early childhood education plans, the Obama-Biden plan places key emphasis at early care and education for infants, which is essential for children to be ready to enter kindergarten. Obama and Biden will create Early Learning Challenge Grants to promote state Zero to Five efforts and help states move toward voluntary, universal pre-school.
* Expand Early Head Start and Head Start: Obama and Biden will quadruple Early Head Start, increase Head Start funding, and improve quality for both.
* Provide affordable, High-Quality Child Care: Obama and Biden will also increase access to affordable and high-quality child care to ease the burden on working families.
K-12
* Reform No Child Left Behind: Obama and Biden will reform NCLB, which starts by funding the law. Obama and Biden believe teachers should not be forced to spend the academic year preparing students to fill in bubbles on standardized tests. They will improve the assessments used to track student progress to measure readiness for college and the workplace and improve student learning in a timely, individualized manner. Obama and Biden will also improve NCLB's accountability system so that we are supporting schools that need improvement, rather than punishing them.
* Support High-Quality Schools and Close Low-Performing Charter Schools: Barack Obama and Joe Biden will double funding for the Federal Charter School Program to support the creation of more successful charter schools. The Obama-Biden administration will provide this expanded charter school funding only to states that improve accountability for charter schools, allow for interventions in struggling charter schools and have a clear process for closing down chronically underperforming charter schools. Obama and Biden will also prioritize supporting states that help the most successful charter schools to expand to serve more students.
* Make Math and Science Education a National Priority: Obama and Biden will recruit math and science degree graduates to the teaching profession and will support efforts to help these teachers learn from professionals in the field. They will also work to ensure that all children have access to a strong science curriculum at all grade levels.
* Address the Dropout Crisis: Obama and Biden will address the dropout crisis by passing legislation to provide funding to school districts to invest in intervention strategies in middle school -- strategies such as personal academic plans, teaching teams, parent involvement, mentoring, intensive reading and math instruction, and extended learning time.
* Expand High-Quality Afterschool Opportunities: Obama and Biden will double funding for the main federal support for afterschool programs, the 21st Century Learning Centers program, to serve one million more children.
* Support College Outreach Programs: Obama and Biden support outreach programs like GEAR UP, TRIO and Upward Bound to encourage more young people from low-income families to consider and prepare for college.
* Support College Credit Initiatives: Barack Obama and Joe Biden will create a national "Make College A Reality" initiative that has a bold goal to increase students taking AP or college-level classes nationwide 50 percent by 2016, and will build on Obama's bipartisan proposal in the U.S. Senate to provide grants for students seeking college level credit at community colleges if their school does not provide those resources.
* Support English Language Learners: Obama and Biden support transitional bilingual education and will help Limited English Proficient students get ahead by holding schools accountable for making sure these students complete school.
* Recruit Teachers: Obama and Biden will create new Teacher Service Scholarships that will cover four years of undergraduate or two years of graduate teacher education, including high-quality alternative programs for mid-career recruits in exchange for teaching for at least four years in a high-need field or location.
* Prepare Teachers: Obama and Biden will require all schools of education to be accredited. Obama and Biden will also create a voluntary national performance assessment so we can be sure that every new educator is trained and ready to walk into the classroom and start teaching effectively. Obama and Biden will also create Teacher Residency Programs that will supply 30,000 exceptionally well-prepared recruits to high-need schools.
* Retain Teachers: To support our teachers, the Obama-Biden plan will expand mentoring programs that pair experienced teachers with new recruits. They will also provide incentives to give teachers paid common planning time so they can collaborate to share best practices.
* Reward Teachers: Obama and Biden will promote new and innovative ways to increase teacher pay that are developed with teachers, not imposed on them. Districts will be able to design programs that reward with a salary increase accomplished educators who serve as a mentors to new teachers. Districts can reward teachers who work in underserved places like rural areas and inner cities. And if teachers consistently excel in the classroom, that work can be valued and rewarded as well.
Higher Education
* Create the American Opportunity Tax Credit: Obama and Biden will make college affordable for all Americans by creating a new American Opportunity Tax Credit. This universal and fully refundable credit will ensure that the first $4,000 of a college education is completely free for most Americans, and will cover two-thirds the cost of tuition at the average public college or university and make community college tuition completely free for most students. Recipients of the credit will be required to conduct 100 hours of community service.
* Simplify the Application Process for Financial Aid: Obama and Biden will streamline the financial aid process by eliminating the current federal financial aid application and enabling families to apply simply by checking a box on their tax form, authorizing their tax information to be used, and eliminating the need for a separate application.
Students with Disabilities
Obama and Biden will work to ensure the academic success of students with disabilities by increasing funding and effectively enforcing the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and by holding schools accountable for providing students with disabilities the services and supports they need to reach their potential. Obama and Biden will also support Early Intervention services for infants and toddlers, and will work to improve college opportunities for high school graduates with disabilities.
Didn't I read that same stuff on a website? It said NOTHING there and definitely says NOTHING here. I heard someone say that a teacher's career is in the hands of an 11year old with a number 2 pencil. It may be funny, but we have somehow given in to the whim of the student to punish the teacher. Merit pay won't fix today's educational problems. These are societal problems that manifest themselves in the halls of academia. Allow people to fail, reward hard work and innovation. Read "Harrison Bergeron" by Kurt Vonnegut..... That is where we are headed.. Thank god I am old and won't be around to see that..
It's so interesting that those who are attempting to make these decisions are not nor have they ever been teachers. I teach in a challenging area and I work my butt off and sometimes, do not yield the results that I would like from my students and here's the problem: last week, we had back to school night and you know how many parents showed up in my classroom? TWO. Therein lies the problem...when parents and students claim accountability, THEN we can talk merit pay.
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