Basing merit pay on teacher test scores is wrong-headed

Teachers, do you want a bonus? The State wants to see your SAT/ACT scores first

by Thomas Kennedy, Published in the Citrus County Chronicle on 08/09/2015

If you’re a teacher and you received a highly effective ranking on your teaching evaluation, the 2015 Florida Legislature put aside $44 million (or up to $10,000 per teacher) to reward you for that highest ranking. (This was approved and signed into law by the Governor.)

But wait— before checking your paycheck for that bonus money the State needs for you to show them that you scored in the 80th percentile on your high school SAT or ACT test score. Yes that’s right, a test one took as long as 10, 20, or maybe even 30 years ago as a 16 or 17-year-old in hopes of getting into college now is being used by the Florida Legislature to determine which pay teachers get a bonus today!

The “Florida’s Best and Brightest Scholarship Program” sponsor, State Rep. Erik Fresen, R-Miami, R-Miami, told the Legislature that “multiple studies indicate students learn more from teachers who achieved high SAT or ACT scores” and that such teachers should be rewarded. Scott Travis of The Sun Sentinel reports in his July 4, 2015 article, ‘Teachers may get $10,000 bonus for high SAT scores,’ that Michael Woods, a teacher of students with special needs at Santaluces High, west of Lantana, was rated highly effective this year and has been a recipient of the county’s prestigious Dwyer Award for teacher excellence. But he wasn’t the best prepared student in high school and earned SAT and ACT scores in 1986 that would be too low to qualify. Woods said, “I know more in 2015 than I did in 1986. I’m a much better test taker today. I’d like a do-over“.

I applauded Representative Fresen and others in the Legislature for their efforts to better fund existing and potential educators in hopes of maintaining and attracting quality teachers, but it is also vital that the process to do so is one that is transparent, collaborative and that involves our Florida’s bicameral Legislature. Unlike most bills that goes through Committees, floor debate and votes in order to be approved,   this $44 million funding did not goes through the legislative process that our citizens expect.

I do continue to be perplexed with the movement of lawmakers in Florida and the nation regarding public education and their assertions that only if teachers work on the merit pay system will they produce smarter students. Those philosophies and laws are not supported by student results. Their reforms been dramatic and have negatively affected our students’ learning. I have spoken out against teacher merit pay systems because— for many reasons – it simply does not yield better learning or results from students. What we do know is that the merit pay agenda is causing further exodus of quality teachers leaving the teaching profession and going into the private sector in non-educational positions. Basing teacher pay on a test they took in high school is an example of how absurd the Legislature has become in dreaming up ways to penalize teachers!

In a State Budget year which saw the Governor veto $400 million in cuts to individual budget items (including vetoing $250,000 in funding for the Citrus Schools Marine Science Station in Crystal River) this $44 million item passed by the Legislature was not vetoed by the Governor. During the Special Budget Session, the House classified this funding as a House Priority and during the special session in June, it was quietly tucked into the budget and was passed.

Representative Fresen sold to the Legislators the notion that teachers could receive as much as $10,000 for being “highly effective” rated teacher on their annual evaluation. State law already requires that this evaluation include classroom observations and documentation on a teacher’s day-to-day work in addition to student achievement data as a separate and significant element of the overall evaluation. But wait, earning highly effective in not enough— you can only receive this bonus if you scored at the 80^th percentile on the SAT or ACT in high school. We shouldn’t be surprised that the State of Florida is again using an educational assessments test for a purpose other than it was originally intended. This is a test that was never designed for any other purpose other than to determine how a young person would do their first year in college. Now it will classify and rate a teacher, award a bonus to that teacher, and maybe inspire smart high school students to become a teacher. (There is no guarantee that this bonus will be repeated so the likelihood of anyone who entered into the profession purely for the bonus and staying on afterwards becomes slim in my opinion.)

What is also disappointing is the misrepresentation of making it appear that teachers could receive $10,000 in bonus money. Why? Because in order to receive $10,000 that would mean that only 4,400 teachers would be eligible for the bonus. Florida had 68,373 teachers rated “highly effective” in 2013-2014. If more than 4,400 teachers qualify for the Best and Brightest scholarship the amount prorated may be far less. This “$10,000 Bonus” headline is misleading and misrepresents the actual amount of bonus a teacher would receive if they met all the requirements of the “Florida’s Best and Brightest Scholarship Program.”

Representative Fresen says the “Florida’s Best and Brightest Scholarship Program” will help attract or better encourage people to the teaching profession. “It’s just another carrot, another incentive to try to keep the best teachers in the field,” Fresen said, adding it could also attract top students to teaching. Many teachers and administrators would say that if you want to attract teachers or encourage them to the teaching profession then you should start by reversing the educational reforms that Representative Fresen and his colleagues have passed in the last many years. Better yet give those funds to local boards and districts to determine how best to use them instead

There is no evidence to show that students learn any better with the teacher that is determined to be highly effective than effective. If we truly are interested in improving education, we should focus resources on collaborative processes that would move all teachers toward the elements that lead to a highly effective rating.   If we are truly looking to improve the teacher shortage that is happening in our state and nation, we should be initiating incentives, opportunities, and benefits for all.

We live in a great country and we are making great strides with our schools and student achievements.

I do support Representative Fresen and the Legislature’s efforts to increasing funding for public school educator’s salaries and staff wages, but it needs to be done in a manner that is transparent, that uses appropriate Legislative processes, and that provides for local school boards and administrators, who know their community and needs, to best determine how these additional funds are used.

So, after processing all of this that may be irrational, misleading, complicated and confusing, I continue to be grateful to all who support our students and I applaud all of our teachers and staff. For those who are pursuing this bonus, I wish you the very best. I want you to know that our district team is doing everything possible to clarify and assist in this process. As School Board Chairman, I will help in any way and work purposefully to improve opportunities for teachers and staff.

(Published in the Citrus County Chronicle on 08/09/2015)

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