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Sunday, February 10, 2013

Jersey Jazzman: Teachers Stand Up Against Merit Pay

Jersey Jazzman: Teachers Stand Up Against Merit Pay:


Teachers Stand Up Against Merit Pay

Back when we were debating the Newark teacher's contract, I warned everyone that if the Newark Teachers Union accepted a deal that included merit pay, all other districts in the state would be under pressure to accept a similar provision in their contracts.

And so has come to pass that the teachers in Paterson - another district, like Newark, that is under state control- are being pressured to accept merit pay. But the latest reports show that the reformyists at the NJDOE and in Paterson are willing to push a plan that goes even further than the Newark contract:
In Newark, teachers are being given the option of shifting into the merit pay system. Those who do will be given up-front bonuses simply for making the change, according to NJ Spotlight. The Newark plan calls for teachers themselves to be part of the teams that would evaluate teachers for merit pay. Teachers deemed effective in