Emily Ude 1 Merit Pay

Systemic Change of Merit Pay Emily Ude April 12, 2013 Education 201-01

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Merit pay in the education system is not a new idea. The merit pay system was first implemented in 1908 in Newton, Massachusetts. The idea of merit pay was to reward teachers on overall performance and student achievement. Though merit pay was effective in theory, it led to cheating scandals, cramming, and the influence of standardized testing. Merit pay also led to unfair pay amongst educators based on gender, race, and subject. For instance, women educators were being paid significantly less than male educators due to recommendation and favoritism by the administration. Due to these results, schools began to shy away from merit pay and introduced the single-salary pay system. In 1921, Denver, Colorado and De Moines, Washington became the first cities in the United States to introduce the single-salary pay schedule to teachers. (Wisconsin Education Association Council, 2011) Single-salary pay was enacted to assure that all classroom teachers were paid on the same scale regardless of race, gender, family status, and grade level taught. The single-salary pay system was constructed based on experience in years and degree attainment. For sixty years, the single-salary pay was used in public schools across the country. It was seen as the best way to provide equality to teacher pay. During Richard Nixons presidency in the late 1960s, he introduced performance contracting. This idea offered incentives to teachers in hopes to improve student achievement. Unfortunately, Nixons plan was abandoned after charges of corruption, teaching to the test, and lack of results. After the 1983 publication of A Nation at Risk, Ronald Reagan recommended an idea similar to Nixon, increased pay for teachers and pay for performance to improve the education system. A number of districts have since adopted the merit pay system and continue to implement them today. The merit pay system comes with a number of negative effects. In order to be implemented fairly, there must be a standardized formula to ensure that faculty is not being

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rewarded unfairly. There are still major flaws in the system today and is why it should be removed from all school systems. As previously stated, the merit pay system was created to reward teachers for overall performance and student achievement. The merit pay system continues to exist in school districts for a few reasons. Firstly, people value hard work and results, including teachers. Many professions offer bonuses and promotions based on performance. Why should teaching be the exception? By offering a merit pay system, teachers have an incentive to work harder and produce better results. Districts continue to believe that the merit pay system will entice teachers to go beyond requirements and that will ultimately create overall better students. Secondly, the merit pay system continues to exist because it is believed to help recruit and retain the finest teachers. Though many individuals choose the career path of education simply because they have the passion to teach, individuals also keep in mind their future and stability. Districts implement the merit pay system for the obvious reason that if an educator is offered two jobs with the same description, they will take the job that offers incentive to do well and the possibility for potential. Lastly, the merit pay system continues to exist based on the idea that there is need for change within the school systems. Too many teachers are unmotivated and lack worth ethic. While the passion for teaching should be enough to perform best efforts, it is not. Districts believe that by offering merit pay, perhaps teachers will be more motivated to teach. However, as the merit pay program continues to exist in the school system there are many damaging effects. They also suggest that merit pay leads to the potential for dysfunctional behavior: teachers may end up focusing on particular tasks or students that are rewarded by a merit pay plan at the expense of other important tasks or goals. (Goldhaber, DeArmond, Player, & Choi, 2008, page 263) Rather than teaching to each individual and his or her needs, the

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merit pay system influences educators to teach to the test. Educators evaluations come from their students achievement and success, by assuring that students receive high test scores, the better the chances that a teacher will receive a salary increase or bonus. Standardized tests do not measure the full extent of the students knowledge. Therefore, teachers will begin to narrow the curriculum and limit what the students are learning based on what will appear on the tests. Merit pay also leads to cheating scandals. Some teachers will take great measures to increase their chances of receiving a pay increase or bonus, including an unfair grading system. The proliferation of disciplinary and investigate bureaucracies within the academic world suggests that misconduct among both faculty and students may in fact be quite wide spread. (Sherman, 2005, page 82) The word cheating is frequently associated with students, little do we know, teachers are cheating as well. In 1999 the Texas Education Agency began investigating Houston and other districts because of suspicious results on the statewide test. Last year, the Houston school board said it had found evidence of cheating at four schools and testing irregularities at seven more. A half-dozen teachers were fired, and several principals were demoted or reprimanded. (R. Blumenthal, 2006) Merit pay is damaging the school system. Most importantly, it is having a negative effect on the students that they are missing out on a surplus on knowledge that is imperative during adolescence. Merit pay creates a competitive dynamic amongst faculty that leads to cramming and cheating throughout the curriculum. There is need for systemic change in the salary system in order to improve school districts across the nation. There is no clear definition of a good teacher. While some may describe common qualities being dedication, an ability to motivate and interest students, caring and respect toward students, others suggest that a good teacher is based off of student test scoring. It is very difficult to develop a single formula to define good teaching for all students and in different

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environments. In order to satisfy faculty and improve the school system, I believe that districts should base salaries on the single-salary program rather than the merit pay program. Rather than rewarding faculty on students achievements, it would be more beneficial to make improvements to the current system. Faculty would continue to receive a salary based on experience in years and degree attainment, but would also be rewarded on four different accounts, performance, involvement, student improvement, and student success. It is too difficult to reward faculty with a sum of money based on performance and test scores because specific teachers would be more likely to receive merit-pay based on their individual classroom subject. For example, an Advance Placement Mathematics class would likely score much higher on an algebra regents than a general mathematics class. Based on test scores, the teacher who was placed with the excelling students would receive merit-pay and the teacher placed with struggling students would be given standard pay. Though both teachers may be capable of teaching either mathematics class, the teacher with the excelling students would be rewarded. Secondly, teachers whose students are not graded by the standard scoring system will be at a disadvantage opposed to those who teach general classes. For example, a music teacher that introduces students to the arts and culture is not solely judged by standardized tests. Though he or she has a great effect on the students and their culture, this teacher is not rewarded for the effects that he or she has on creating wellrounded individuals. By implementing a reward system that is more general and has a number of different categories, more teachers will be affected and motivated to perform. Performance, involvement, student improvement, and student success can relate to each different subject areas. That way all faculty members will have equal opportunity to be rewarded. The administration can then

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nominate a number of faculty members per month based on the school population, an outside observer such as a superintendent will then be the deciding factor as to who will be rewarded for the month. Teachers nominated may not have touched each of those but, have had an influential effect on the school. I do not believe that a large sum of money or salary increase should necessarily be the reward but, perhaps a smaller gift of money and recognition. People are more likely to work hard if they will receive recognition for their efforts. A simple idea such as a reserved parking space or an honored lunch can go a great distance. A fair reward system will motivate faculty as well as unifying the school building. Those who truly want to become educators, teach because they want to have an effect on the young minds in society. Teachers strive because they have the passion to teach not because they are driven by a promotion or salary raise. While merit-pay is a simple idea, it has been tried repeatedly. Merit-pay is not equal amongst all faculty members and has a greater negative effect on the minds of the students. Test scores and performance are not a reliable measure of teacher effectiveness because there are too many factors outside of the classroom that can affect the results. A more improved single-salary pay system that includes fair and friendly rewards will provide the encouragement and motivation that educators need to perform to their fullest potential.

Work Cited

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Goldhaber, D., DeArmond, M., Player, D., & Choi, H. (2008). Why Do So Few Public School Districts Use Merit Pay?. Journal of Education Finance, 33(3), 262-289. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/40704329 Moen, E., & Rosen, A. (2005). Performance Pay and Adverse Selection. The Scandinavian Journal of Economics, 107(2), 279-298. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/3441106 Murnane, R., & Steele, J. (2007). What is the Problem? The Challenge of Providing Effective Teachers for All Children. The Future of Children, 17(1), 15-43. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/4150018 Sherman, A. J. (2005). Schools for Scandal. New England Review, 26(3), 82-91. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/40245262

Blumenthal, R. (2006). Houston Ties Teachers' Pay to Test Scores. The New York Times Company. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/13/national/13houston.html?_r=0 Wisconsin Education Association Council (2011). What Do We Know About Merit Pay?.Research Briefs, (20). Retrieved from http://www.weac.org/pdf/2011-12/merit.pdf