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Houston Latest to Adopt Teacher Merit Pay PlanThe Houston Independent School District (HISD) last week adopted a new merit pay program that will reward teachers and school administrators based on how well their students perform on standardized tests. The new incentive plan, which went into effect immediately, offers teachers as much as $3,000 more per year if their students improve on state and national tests. Despite objections from the local teachers' union, the Board of Education unanimously approved the $14.5 million program, making HISD the latest - and largest - to adopt the incentive model native to the corporate world. Other districts include Denver and Cincinnati. New York and Kentucky have also tried implementing similar programs, and plans have been proposed recently in Indiana and a number of other states. This renewed interest in teacher accountability could mean increased attention in professional development and teacher training programs. Teacher unions are generally opposed to such merit pay programs for fear of their divisive effects on the school community. They also argue that such plans bypass arts teachers and others whose subjects are not covered by standardized tests.
Questions, ideas, or in need of more information? Please contact Stacey Pusey at 302-295-8349. |
"Houston
Ties Teachers' Pay to Test Scores" |
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