Monday, March 28, 2011

LWV addresses controversial pay-for-test-scores scheme

The Charleston League of Women Voters held a forum last week on the pay-for-test-scores scheme that Governor Nikki Haley and Superintendent Mick Zais are pushing through the legislature.

One educator on Tuesday's panel says the bill won't sit well with many teachers and principals.

"There are so many variables impacting the performance of students," stated Dr. Fran Welch, the dean at the College of Charleston's School of Education and a former public school educator.

Welch says the proposed bill raises a lot of issues.

"For many students, there's more than one teacher impacting their learning. How do you determine what the impact is of one teacher versus another teacher?" questioned Welch.

According to Zais, the state's best teachers should be paid the most. However, Welch says the bill comes with multiple flaws.

"If you're focused just exclusively on the bottom line of a test score, how much time can you engage student in things that will them to be better citizens?" stated Welch.

The bill, now winding through the Senate, includes a provision to allow teachers input through a committee. But the committee's function is questionable, as Zais has made it clear through spokesmen that he was elected to make such decisions and won't be hamstrung by the input of a teacher committee.

At least the League of Women Voters is asking questions about the controversial proposal -- and they're asking a lot of the right questions.

No comments:

Post a Comment