Comment & Debate
“Top Ten Reasons Why Merit Pay for Teachers Is a Terrible Idea”. Education Portal. July 10th, 2007: “5. It’s a Cheap Gimmick to Award Cronies … In some performance pay programs, principals, superintendents, and education boards are responsible for determining who deserves additional pay and who doesn’t. The big fear is that favoritism and internal politics will influence who gets the merit pay.”
David Rapkin, a South L.A. high school teacher: “It’s a bad idea. It will give administrators in the district the power to play favorites using standardized tests rather than really educating students.”
“Merit Pay for Teachers”. Creating Lifelong Learners.: “Having worked with several principals, I have found that all of them tend to have favorites on staff. I would not want my pay to be determined based on how a principal personally feels about me.”