Merit pay

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Merit pay provides bonuses for workers who perform their jobs better, according to measurable criteria.

In the field of educational reform, advocates are divided on whether merit pay should be offered to American public school teachers.

1 Rationale
2 Political opposition
3 Other opposition
4 External links

[edit] Rationale

Proponents point out that paying teachers without regard to their actual effectiveness in the classroom flies in the face of the most basic of management precepts, and that given the criticisms of public education it is time to try new approaches.

[edit] Political opposition

The National Education Association (NEA) adamantly opposes merit pay. In June 2003 NEA President Reg Weaver said:

"Teachers understand that politically motivated panaceas such as merit pay and eliminating tenure do nothing to improve teacher quality. Our members are open to alternatives, but we will always oppose quick fixes designed to weaken the voice of teachers and effectiveness of education employees in all jobs." [1]

[edit] Other opposition

Mary Gryphon, an education policy analyst at the Cato Institute, makes some practical objections:

The system can't simply reward high scores. If it did, it would favor teachers in wealthy neighborhoods whose students came to school with excellent skills. Nor can the system reward only improvement. If it did, it would unfairly penalize teachers whose students were already scoring too well to post large gains.
Moreover, any money for test results scheme will worsen the problem of teachers cheating on standardized tests to avoid the consequences of the No Child Left Behind Act. Teachers willing to erase wrong answers on exams to avoid having their school labeled "needing improvement" will also be tempted by the thought of a personal raise. [2]