International Competitiveness: Teacher Incentives to Improve America’s Standing :Jordan Farrer ED 412 Spring 2009 International Competitiveness: Teacher Incentives to Improve America’s Standing


The Boston Globe Editorials :The Boston Globe Editorials Merit-pay party poopers – March 16, 2009 Merit pay unfair and divisive – March 24, 2009 Teachers can receive bonuses of up to $3,000 based on their ability to increase participation and the number of students who achieve qualifying scores on the AP exams. In the urban schools, where AP offerings are thin, teachers can receive an additional $100 for each student who scores 3 or higher on the 5-point AP exam. The Boston Globe Staff supports: Anne Wass, president of the Massachusetts Teachers Association, says: The vast majority of teachers oppose paying teachers at different rates based on student test scores because such merit pay systems are inequitable, ineffective, and divisive. 2


The Problem :The Problem American students are falling behind in the essential subjects of math and science, putting our position in the global economy at risk. “Where once nations measured their strength by the size of their armies and arsenals, in the world of the future knowledge will matter most.” – President Bill Clinton US students ranked 15th in reading, 19th in math, and 14th in science in the ranking of 31 countries by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Fig 1 Education at a Glance 2008: OECD Indicators 3


Rising Above the Gathering Storm: Energizing and Employing America for a Brighter Economic Future :Rising Above the Gathering Storm: Energizing and Employing America for a Brighter Economic Future Recommendations K-12 Education Research Higher Education Economic Policy Robert Solow and Moses Abramovitz concluded that 85% of measured growth in US income per capita was due to technological change. 4


National Math and Science Initiative :National Math and Science Initiative Mission: Provide the ideas, inspiration, and resources to close the gap between American students and the rest of the world. Major Donors Exxon Mobil Corporation Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Michael and Susan Dell Foundation “We don’t reinvent the wheels, we find the best ones – an roll” - NMSI Replicate AP Training and Incentive Program first started in Dallas, TX Fig 2 National Math and Science Initiative Competitiveness Brochure 5


AP Training and Incentive Program :AP Training and Incentive Program Key Elements: Teacher training and additional resources Financial incentives for teachers and students Lead teachers to coach AP and Pre-AP teachers AP Strategies developed the AP Training and Incentive Program and Laying the Foundation Fig 3 Mass. Insight and Science Initiative Fig 4 Mass. Insight and Science Initiative 6


Why AP Tests? :Why AP Tests? Proven results in the AP Strategies programs Years of refinement (though not perfect) Teaching to a good test How they help… International Competiveness Example: On the Trends in International Math and Science Study, students who had taken AP Calculus ranked first in the world in math, while US students who had not ranked below average Achievement Gap Example: In 2006, 6% of scores (3+) on the Calculus BC exam came from <1% of African American students who attended Texas schools served by APS Fig 5 Mass. Insight and Science Initiative 7


Proponents of Merit Pay and Why? :Proponents of Merit Pay and Why? “Common Sense” to public education Positive correlation between teacher incentives and student performance (Figlio and Kenney) Greatest benefit to low-income students New examples provide do’s and don’ts “The Great Excuse” rendered null and void “Subjectivity” replaced with Value-added Assessment (Sanders) Their salaries are indicative of their products, shouldn’t teachers’ salaries? 8


Opponents of Merit Pay :Opponents of Merit Pay Negativism: “inequitable, ineffective, and divisive” Hurts teacher collaboration (teamwork) Does not improve student performance (Boles and Troen) Many merit-pay programs have failed before Wastes money Promotes “teaching to the test” Makes teachers unions less relevant Teacher’s opinions are mixed and not certain (Matthes, Tollerud, and Langevedt) and (Ballou and Podgursky) 9


Situation in Mass. :Situation in Mass. History The Romney Plan – included APs Springfield, MA – only 25% of plan merit, not VAA Current Boston, Revere, Chelsea, Springfield, etc. (candidates schools) Program modeled on the Texas APTIP Teachers unions trying to block plan Boston Teachers Unions filed a labor grievance 10


Recommendations: Perspective :Recommendations: Perspective No new laws or government operated programs involved; decisions on the part of school districts Laws and programs would hopefully follow Not VAA Not applicable to all teachers Not using public funds Unions are “holding back the dam” Afraid of any precedent of merit pay 11


Recommendations: Actions :Recommendations: Actions MA school boards prevent unions from blocking the APTIP To do this… APTIP must emphasize training and the additional resources teachers would gain Emphasize that the money is from a private grant Politicians must openly support of the program, stating that the program does not stand in opposition to union interests Governor Deval Patrick, Commissioner Mitchell D. Chester, Superintendent Carol R. Johnson, Mayor Thomas Menino Fig 6 Governor Deval Patrick Fig 7 Mayor Thomas Menino 12


Recommendations: Effects :Recommendations: Effects Political Arena: Sets a precedent that can begin to break down the stronghold of the unions If not, sets a precedent that MA is no longer a place for education reform Education Arena: Demonstrates the importance of advanced courses and hopefully in the future tax dollars would fund similar program 13


The Hope :The Hope International Competiveness This program is the starting point for many other programs with the same goals that expand across the country Achievement Gap (linked to international competitiveness) Creates a cycle that closes this gap and improves the nation 14