06.17.06
TAKS Cheating Story Moves To Next Phase
SAEN has this story, Hold slapped on TAKS bonuses.
The Texas Education Agency is suspending a plan to reward teachers at 14 schools across the state with cash bonuses for improved test scores because the schools also have been flagged for irregularities on their Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills results.
The money, the result of an initiative by Gov. Rick Perry to reward high-performing schools, can range from $2,000 to $10,000 per teacher. Teachers at the schools will have to wait for their bonuses, however, while state education officials determine if their test scores are above reproach.
AP has this story, State puts hold on TAKS bonuses for some teachers. You remember this was all part of Perry’s plan to fix our education system. Here’s some of what was said back in January about this plan:
“Offering this type of selective incentive instead of a substantial pay raise for teachers across the board is like trying to put the icing on a cake that has yet to be baked,” Linda Bridges, president of the Texas Federation of Teachers, said in a letter Monday to Education Commissioner Shirley Neeley.
The National Education Association reported last month that Texas was 33rd in teacher salaries last year, with an average salary of $41,009.
Chris Patterson of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, which advocates for smaller government and has championed incentive pay for teachers, called Perry’s plan a good first step in changing a teacher-pay system based largely on seniority.
“Just giving $3,000 to a teacher says, ‘You have made a special contribution to your school, to student learning, and we recognize that,’ ” Patterson said.
Richard Kouri of the Texas State Teachers Association said the program isn’t really an incentive because it is based on performance last year, before the bonus pay plan was announced.
And Holly Eaton of the Texas Classroom Teachers Association said lawmakers should not require further merit-pay programs until they see whether Perry’s initiative, as well as a similar incentive-pay experiment in Houston, improves student performance and teacher retention.
Well no matter what was said about it back then it’s apparently caused some teachers to try and scam the system. Like with any business, if you’re not going to pay your employees enough you better pay your security well.