Teacher Merit Pay Essay example - 1484 Words

July 21, 2011 Merit or Mistake In today’s society one of the most important factors in selecting a career field is rate of pay. No matter whether the profession maybe, the dollar figure must be within a range that allows the employee to maintain a substantial lifestyle. The debate of teacher pay scales has raged on for years. Many argue that the current pay scale for teachers is a scale which rewards teachers merely for seniority. They argue that the current pay scale overlooks those educators which demonstrate exceptional performance. Teacher merit pay systems have been the most popular suggestions made to remedy the problems seen with the current pay scale. Although the current pay scale may not be completely effective, the idea of†¦show more content†¦Hess. Merit pay systems create unhealthy competition between educators which should be working together to ensure that the best possible educational is being given to every student. If one observes an effective educational institution in operation, one will notice those institutions that are highly rated are essentially partnerships between various educators with various teaching styles and personalities teaming together to impart wisdom on young minds primed for educational molding. The general concept behind merit pay systems makes this type of partnership unattainable. In an article published in Education Week Kim Marshall stated that â€Å"When individuals are rewarded, collaboration suffers†. Educators become more concerned with outperforming their counter parts to gain pay raises then working together to educate young minds. Those who are in favor of teacher merit pay systems feel as though the use of this system can eliminate the possibility of seniority outweighing high performance. They believe that those teachers in merit pay systems would be made to perform better in the classroom and demonstrate great teaching skills. Although there is some truth to this idea, it should not be accepted in the argument of teacher merit pay. In the Christian Science Monitor Reg Weaver stated merit pay systems would warrant â€Å"an adherence to some type of evaluative standard â€Å" This means that teacher evaluations would consists mainly of the scores fromShow MoreRelatedEssay about Exploring the Possibility of Merit Pay for Teachers1277 Words   |  6 Pagesto award merit pay to teachers in an attempt to obtain and retain effective teachers as measured by student academic achievement. These proposals are supported by budgeted funding for the 2011 fiscal year with additional funding included in the optional, c ompetitive 1.35 billion Race to the Top Fund. A number of different merit pay systems exist. Some reward entire schools or districts when passing rates on standardized tests are achieved, while others reward individual teachers for passingRead MoreMerit Pay For Teachers And Teachers1327 Words   |  6 Pages Merit Pay for Teachers President Barack Obama said in a recent speech that â€Å"The future belongs to the nation that best educates its citizens †¦ It is time to give all Americans a complete and competitive education† (Stout). His first point has become evident over time. The nations that best educate their children will have power in the future. He also mentions giving Americans a competitive education. This is referring to implementing a form of merit pay for teachers; paying bonuses to a teachers’Read MoreThe Merits Of Teacher Performance Pay3187 Words   |  13 PagesTHE MERITS OF TEACHER PERFORMANCE PAY IN KENYA Introduction This paper discusses the merits of performance pay for teachers in Kenya. I argued here that remuneration reforms for civil service teachers will achieve production efficiency. This paper has three main sections. Section 1 gives a brief description of the scheme of service for teachers in Kenya. Section 2 highlights the economic case in favour of teacher salaries and identifies the government failures in ensuring teacher effectiveness.Read MoreBenefits And Disadvantages Of Performance Related Pay1808 Words   |  8 PagesQuestion 15: Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of performance related pay. To what extent should it be a model of remuneration for employees across all pay scales? OUTLINE I. Introduction 1. General information 2. Thesis: Addressing two main parts II. Body 1. Advantages and disadvantages of performance related pay a. Advantages - Working as a motivator (e.g. sales personnel) - Improve workforce productivity - Attract and keep employees, especially high-quality workers (E.g. executives)Read MoreMerit Pay at Carroll University - Winners Take All Essay5093 Words   |  21 Pages[Type the company name] | Merit Pay at Carroll Universiy | Should the Winners Take All? | | | 11/19/2010 | | Introduction: Performance related pay in academia, in particular merit pay, is often a source of controversy. As cited in Value-Related Issues in a Departmental Merit Pay, a faculty-designed merit pay plan is defined as â€Å"a process that may produce a pay increase for university faculty who perform a variety of worthwhile work activities according to the practices, policiesRead MoreModule 7 Action Inquiry Essay Merit Pay1459 Words   |  6 PagesRunning head: ACTION INQUIRY RESEARCH PAPER- MERIT PAY Action Inquiry Research Paper- School Finance Jennifer Ponton Grand Canyon EDA 535 July 01, 2012 Action Inquiry Research Paper- School Finance Statement of the Problem This past spring thousands of teachers protested at the Louisiana State Capital to prevent Louisiana lawmakers from passing an educational reform bill proposed by Governor Bobby Jindall that would change the face of public education in Louisiana forever. ManyRead MoreBusting Unions For Fighting Reform Policies784 Words   |  4 Pagesmuch of his energy in attacking the power of the teacher unions. He claims that teachers unions are the heart of the problem when it comes to organization and reform (Moe, 2011, p. 20). While Moe claims the NEA (National Education Association) and the AFT (American Federation of Teachers) have historically lobbied against many reform programs, including voucher programs, charter schools, and merit pay programs, there is also evidence where teachers’ unions have supported new reforms. They have introducedRead MoreBenefits Of Merit Pay System945 Words   |  4 PagesTeachers have an important role in shaping the kids of our future, to which they are not given enough credit for. Compared to how much teachers give, they are not given the amount of recognition and reward they truly deserve. Teachers are paid solely based on how many years they have been working and their credentials. Because of this, the teaching profession may not be of interest or is undermined by other professions: â€Å"A January report revealed that relatively low pay, high turnover rates thatRead MoreThe Human Resource Administrative Procedures1595 Words   |  7 Pagesrelationships are created; and the development and utilization of existing human qualities (Brimley Garfield, 2012). Currently, the MSBSD struggles in recruiting and maintaining teachers in the areas of music, science, and special education. Hence, the MSBSD has aggressively been forced to recruit and attend teacher job fairs in the Lower 48. Last year alone, principals, district office administrators, and human resource personnel attended job fairs in the following states: Washington, Oregon,Read MoreMerit Pay Demise Essay examples1124 Words   |  5 Pagessurrounding merit pay for teachers has existed for decades in many countries across the globe. The debate has been particularly heated in the United States. Since the 1920s, public schools began awarding pay mostly according to title, and seniority rather than merit. Numerous attempts have been made to introduce merit pay systems throughout this period, but it never gained widespread popularity on a national level. Now, however, political leaders such as Barack Obama have supported merit pay for teachers