Florida has approved teacher pay and bonuses based upon standardized test scores. Article here.
Most people know I have no problems with the limited use of standardized testing to evaluate changes in student performance patterns in a school district. But I limit their use to trying to decide if our teaching interventions are changing the patterns of student achievement. I think tying employee pay directly to these results may prove to be a slippery slope.
Why? In all social science research, isolating the independent variables that affect student learning is very problematic. It would be hard to implement such a plan fairly and consistently across the state. Denver, CO had a plan that was based more on teachers accomplishing various training programs and skill sets. That sounds like it would be a little fairer.
Just my .02.
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I am not sure about base salaries tied to testing, but in other states (North Carolina for sure), they do have bonuses based on student performance. If your school is labeled exceptional growth you recieve $1,500, high growth school staffs recieve $750, and little or negative growth recieve zip. This is a better plan. It will be interesting to see how this plan in Florida plays out. Keep us posted Doc!
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