Steps and Lanes: Over and Out?
I keep finding fresh evidence to suggest that the balance of power is changing, between the teachers unions and the Legislature, School Boards, and taxpayers they used to dominate. District 112, the Eastern Carver County Schools ("Chaska") is going toe to toe with Education Minnesota on a new contract. They have already forgone the $25 per student penalty for not having a signed contract by January. Among the sticking points is the district's proposal to eliminate "steps" - automatic pay increases for years of service.
In a similar way, Governor Pawlenty is challenging tenure - a form of seniority bestowed after some number of years. Federal programs like No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top are demanding some new thinking here. And the Minneapolis Public Schools, facing still more layoffs, says traditional seniority is too high a price for this struggling district trying to retain its bright, new teaching prospects by losing some veteran but "depressing, mediocre" teachers.
So, does experience matter? Of course it does, as in any profession. Should pay increase as a result? Of course, as in any profession where time in grade generally results in improved productivity or results. But in the private sector, that is usually done on a person by person basis. Did you sell more? Did you marketing strategies increase market share? Did you identify more expense savings? Did you make products more reliable? Did you write more lines of code? Did you speed up the manufacturing line? Did you help others do these things?
This should happen in education. Rather than the union "you prove to me that I'm a bad teacher" demand we need the "I'll prove to you that I'm a good teacher" approach. Lacking anything else substantive or credible, student test scores have to be the primary basis of such evaluation. And can we not now say given the evidence or lack thereof that paying for advanced degrees ("lanes") is pointless?
It's obvious that there will be no big infusion of new money. The school districts owe it to us taxpayers, parents, and especially the students to put whatever little infusions appear where it will do the most good.
Cross-posted and comments welcome at Speed Gibson.
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