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* Tennessee in fourth to last paragraph
Extra pay urged at poorest schools
Teachers' unions propose incentives
By Maria Sacchetti, Globe Staff | November 30, 2006
The state's teachers' unions are calling for extra pay for teachers in high-poverty schools, marking the first time that the unions have banded together behind a new type of teacher pay.
Leaders of the Massachusetts Teachers Association and the state chapter of the American Federation of Teachers said yesterday that their proposal proves they are willing to embrace change at a time when school systems across the nation are experimenting with new ways to pay teachers.
Union officials say teachers in high-poverty schools deserve extra pay because they generally work longer hours and serve more challenging students. Officials said they would have to work out with lawmakers the amount of the incentive and how many of the nearly 600 high-poverty schools would qualify. They said the incentives are part of a broader union proposal to close the achievement gap between wealthy and disadvantaged students. The unions plan to release their proposal publicly today.
"It is absolutely essential that in high-poverty schools that students get more and better services," said Thomas J. Gosnell , president of AFT Massachusetts. "I don't see how they can get better services if there are not incentives for teachers to provide additional time and programs for the students."
If Massachusetts adopts the proposal, it would join nine states, including Florida and California, that offer financial incentives to teachers to work in hard-to-staff schools, according to Education Commission of the States, a Denver-based organization that researches education policy.
Union leaders said they still oppose merit pay, which links teacher pay to student test scores, or paying math and science teachers more than others because educators in those subjects are in demand. But they said the incentives could draw experienced teachers to high-poverty schools, where at least 40 percent of the students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. They said the state probably cannot afford to offer the incentive in every high-poverty school, but they want every teacher in the schools selected to receive
the extra money.
The unions' unveiling of the monetary incentive and other proposed changes for education is occurring less than a month after the unions helped propel Governor-elect Deval L. Patrick to victory. Their proposals follow four abrasive years with Governor Mitt Romney , who unsuccessfully pushed merit pay and has accused teachers' unions of hindering school reform. Patrick, who declined to comment through a spokeswoman yesterday, has said he supports merit pay for all teachers in a school, not for individuals.
Union leaders said the incentives are among dozens of changes, including expanding full-day kindergarten and preschool, restoring $125 per student for teacher training, and adding $610 million more in state aid over the next three years.
The state's education commissioner, David P. Driscoll, welcomed the plan yesterday, saying through a spokeswoman that it was a step forward in overhauling teacher pay. Driscoll previously has criticized the unions for their opposition to merit pay. The traditional teacher salary schedule pays teachers based on their education levels and years of experience, regardless of how students perform.
Nationally, school systems such as Houston, Chicago, and Denver are experimenting with various forms of merit pay, and Springfield this year is launching a system that would tie some teachers' pay to performance.
Jim Stergios , executive director of the Boston-based Pioneer Institute, said that the incentives could help low-performing schools but that he would prefer merit pay.
"It achieves one very good thing, and that is it makes it more attractive for teachers who have experience and/or seniority to come back and work in
under-performing high-poverty schools," he said. "If it's a choice between this or nothing, this is not that bad."
Springfield 's superintendent, Joseph P. Burke, said he would support paying teachers a minimum cash incentive to work in hard-to-staff schools. But he said lawmakers should also gradually raise the incentives over time -- and tie those increases to student performance -- to make sure teachers have an incentive to stay and improve.
"I think it has to be connected to an overall strategy of keeping really good people in those schools," said Burke. "If you pay all of those teachers more money and student test scores don't go up, what did you accomplish?"
Union leaders said their plan, which will be sent to Patrick and each legislator on Beacon Hill, attempts to further the goals of the 1993 Education Reform Act, which poured money into schools to improve achievement and hold school systems accountable for failure. In the past two years, however, the average state test scores at most elementary and middle grades have been flat or declining.
Angela R. Baber , a researcher with Education Commission of the States, explained that
many statewide incentive programs are too new to show results, but she said
there is promising evidence from a Tennessee school system that is offering incentives. Early reports show that the incentives are attracting qualified teachers, she said.
[This is Hamilton County - IK].
Some of the unions' proposals mirror ideas touted by school superintendents and politicians. For example, the teachers proposed paying teachers more if they take on extra duties, such as coaching other teachers. The plan is similar to one being pushed by dozens of school superintendents statewide.
Mainly, union officials say, they want a greater role in shaping education policy. Anne Wass , president of the Massachusetts Teachers Association, said Romney refused to meet with them during his term. Romney's press office did not respond to a request for comment.
"We're tired of being slammed all the time," said Wass. "This is our way of showing that we do want change."
© Copyright 2006 The New York Times Company
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