Essay about Exploring the Possibility of Merit Pay for...

President Obama’s recommendations for the reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) and his education plan include provisions to 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, competitive 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 passing rates. Some rely on peer or administrator evaluations and staff development as additional†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ Students in economically disadvantaged schools are more likely to have teachers rated in the bottom quartile for teacher effectiveness as measured by raising student achievement (Education Equality Project, 2010). Previous Attempts at Merit Pay Traditionally, efforts to obtain effective teachers have focused primarily upon raising the entry bar via credential, licensure, or certification requirements. However, research has consistently demonstrated that credentials, licensure, and advanced degrees are of little value in predicting teacher effectiveness (Education Equality Project, 2010; Green Forster, 2008). The use of merit pay to obtain, retain, and affect student achievement is a lesser used, but not unknown, methodology. In the 1920s, 40 to 50 percent of all urban school districts adopted a merit pay plan. Interest waned and then resurfaced in the 1950s and, by 1960; one in ten public schools adopted a form of merit pay. Interest declined in the 1970s and rose again in the 1980s, and in 2010. Prior to the 1980s, research was primarily focused upon the difficulty experienced in defining and measuring quality teaching (Cohen and Murnane, 1985). Due to the inability to find reliable and valid definitions and measures of teacher quality, staff dissatisfaction and dissension was experienced when using merit pay plans (Murnane Cohen, 1986). In addition,Show MoreRelatedA Historical Perspective: The Wage Gap1586 Words   |  7 Pagesearnings between men and woman, is relevant today and remains greatly influenced by specific historical events. This paper will examine the cultural context of employment for white, middle-class, American women from the early 1920’s to present. Exploring the progression and integration of women into the workforce, detailing the forces and influences for change and examining critical court rulings, this paper will offer a perspective of the imeragey taken from the author. It is believed by the authorRead MoreTeacher ´s Performance and Student Academic Achievement2933 Words   |  12 Pages Teacher performance is acknowledged as the most important institutional determinant of student academic achievement. 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