Well, I certainly decided to bite off a big chunk on a Sunday afternoon, didn’t I? Merit pay for teachers has been a hot button issue for so long, and it is such a “tough one”. It looks like it should work. It really does. When I first thought about it, it seemed like a great idea. Why not pay people more for doing better work? How could this not be part of the solution for education? Not so fast…
I felt this way, that is, until I took a look at the evidence. Until I talked to educators, and those who train educators – and most of them are NOT union members by the way. In fact, only 15% of this nation’s teachers are union members! So, certainly unions aren’t as much an indoctrinator of teachers as some think. And, despite seeing a need for unions, I see huge flaws in the way they do business. So I am not some indoctrinated kool-aid drinker either. So let’s put that to bed. This is a discussion on the merits only. Here are my top reasons why merit pay is a bad idea.
1. Merit Pay works well in certain situations where things are well within your control, and when working with other adults. The range of disciplines in which merit pay can work include those where volume is the most important factor, and where one adult can convince another adult to do something through persuasion (sales). In other words, where we are producing something (items or sales) that exists along a steady, linear scale. But teaching is not one of these types of disciplines. Children are not products, and development is definitely not linear.
So, already we are in a bad spot, but shall I go on? Yes? Ok. Let’s talk evidence
2. From the review, “The Paradox of Merit Pay in the Public Sector” by Kellough and Lu: “Studies that have produced favorable results are, in fact, rare.” I highly suggest reading this review. I will also mention that I worked for five years in a high profile county government – in that agency, merit pay is viewed as a joke by almost all employees. It is seen as biased, highly dependent on what supervisor one gets, and most think that it is impossible to have an objective measure because everyone’s job situation is so different.
3. The measures being used have little to do with the curriculum being taught or the actual results of that curriculum being taught. This is a huge problem if you are going to institute a system of merit based pay. The outcomes have to clearly match performance, which in turn clearly matches effort. This is not even close to being the case currently in education. Check this out, from Daniel Willingham, Ph.D. (University of Virginia)
For these reasons alone, merit pay is a horrible idea that has not and will not have a positive effect on teaching or education for out children. So why do it? The reason we want to do it is because the real solution is far too difficult. The real solution – paying teachers well to attract talent, and then spending the time and money to train the hell out of that talent – then coupling that will well thought out curricula? Then valuing education over the creation of large sums of wealth and status? Those things are too hard. Those things are only what other successful educational systems have done.
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March 20, 2011 at 11:59 pm
Timothy Ward
Kwame, I love it! Your last paragraph was brilliant.
March 21, 2011 at 12:29 am
Dr. Kwame M. Brown
Thanks, Tim! I just hope it helps.
March 21, 2011 at 12:33 am
teacher's wife
I don’t usually respond to most things I see on my Facebook, but this has been a bit of a hot button issue in my house for a while-especially at this time of year. You see, my husband is a special ed teacher (ED/LD)who believes ALL of his kids can learn and is willing to spend the time to make sure that they get all that they can out of their environment. I am skeptical of merit pay for several reasons, the main one being that the teachers in the nice quiet classrooms on the pretty side of town will ultimately get more for the performance of their students than the ones he has here where the roof is leaking in the school or they don’t have working computers in the classroom. BUT he makes the effort and his students shine. While he is not doing it for the money (believe me!), how is he rewarded for his efforts? He has been shifted to 2 different schools in the past 3 years because his students do better than most, while some of the others who could care less stay right where they are. I am sure you are aware of the educational turmoil that the Atlanta Public School system is involved in. And while training and paying teachers more may help, that does nothing to help weed out the bad apples who know that they will get paid the same no matter what they do.
Nursing mirrors teaching in many ways, as you never know what your patient outcomes will be even though you are following the prescribed treatments. We also have those who come to work simply to get paid. We are evaluated on a hybrid system that includes merit pay, but it is based on objective goals such as number of inservices you set up, classes attended, and patient satisfaction scores. It is only 20% of your evaluation, but it can make a difference when your salary is calculated and it’s yours to lose. I’m not saying that will work in that arena, but I believe that the merit pay argument rises from people’s frustration with lackluster effort and performance. Remember, these are not elected officials that when you are unhappy they can be voted out.
So I do agree with your reasoning, but I think it will take a little more carrot and stick than just increasing pay and training. If I had the answer, I would be a rich woman. But until then I have to just keep brainstorming until the right (or better) solution presents itself.
…and why is it a sore spot this time of the year? This is the time when all of the IEP meetings and paperwork must be completed. Since he was somewhat organized and ahead of schedule with his, he has been blessed with someone else’s work to ‘assist’ them in completing. The same thing has happened with the same instructor 2yrs. in a row. If she was being held accountable for her paperwork and deadlines, would that be happening? Not so sure.
March 21, 2011 at 12:58 am
Dr. Kwame M. Brown
Teacher’s wife, this is certainly a tough issue. Quite frankly, I am more in favor of just getting rid of bad teachers, than making this into a “race” to see who can create the best kid widgets. Further, I think you obtain your best effect size by being more selective on the front end, than on the back end. The training should be incredibly rigorous. So should the selection process. And the same goes for principals. Then, just cut the cancers. But merit systems cannot work in public service. I am convinced of that for the reasons above. And I agree with you wholeheartedly that the merit pay idea arises from frustrations. Most bad ideas, most poorly thought out ideas arise from fear and anger.
March 21, 2011 at 12:42 am
Tory
Great post Kwame. As an educator, I know I personally pour every ounce of energy, creativity, and passion into creating the right learning environment for my class. Having taught in 3 different states, I rarely see a lack of passionate, ded…icated teachers. This initiative could actually drive quality teachers into another profession. I know in my state, it’s already been 3 years since we’ve received our step in pay, and now they’ve passed this. Soon, teachers will be forced to teach to the test, and have to forget true education that actually makes a difference in student’s lives.
March 21, 2011 at 12:59 am
Dr. Kwame M. Brown
Thanks, Tory. Agreed. This will result in little more than gaming the system from those who are out for self – or resentment and stress among those who truly care. But it has been proven that it won’t bring the desired effect. Power to you, and to the children you teach.
March 22, 2011 at 5:33 pm
Tracey
You’re absolutely right, Kwame. Doing the things that will really improve education are too hard for politicians to consider. It’s so frustrating.
May 16, 2011 at 3:35 pm
Debora
Shared this blog page with my colleague today who will be presenting to a school board this week about the realities of teacher compensation. THANK YOU! Everything you put out there makes a difference.
May 16, 2011 at 4:48 pm
Dr. Kwame M. Brown
Debora this means a LOT! I always try to retain a modicum of self doubt, and my question for everything I do – Is this helping someone? So, you made my day!