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Opinion

New teacher bonuses aren't fair 

Christian Palmer
Opinion Columnist

Teachers' pay has long been the subject of vigorous debate, but now the Houston Independent School District has taken the question to a new level of antipathy and infuriation with its new performance-based bonus plan.

HISD decided it was time to start lifting morale and paying teachers according to their ability and usefulness, which sounds like a great idea. However, in the school district's plan, teachers' value is directly proportional to their students' performance on standardized tests, namely the SAT and infamous TAKS test. The usefulness of standardized testing is one of the other big issues facing education in this country, so naturally the plan is raising even more eyebrows. Some feel that students' performance on these tests is not a fair representation of the students' knowledge, let alone their teachers' ability to teach the material.

Not only is the bonus plan unfair because the TAKS test is ridiculous on its own, it is imbalanced because it won't give many teachers a chance to benefit from it. 

If the bonuses are contingent strictly on teachers' students learning TAKS material and passing the test, then the art, music, theater and otherwise extracurricular teachers are practically excluded from any hope of meriting a bonus. 

Other causes of the rift between teachers include some teachers being famously rewarded for surrendering their classroom to the whims of the suits while others try to make an actual difference in kids' lives and minds. With this incentive staring teachers in face, some could succumb to the temptation by tossing their own teaching style out the window and focus on pumping their students full of formulaic knowledge that is TAKS-specific. 

Many teachers have been quoted as opposing these bonuses as some truly undeserving win big while phenomenal teachers receive little or nothing at all. All in all, more than half of Houston teachers received an average bonus of $1,800. One lucky fifth-grade teacher received $7,175. 

There is something to be said for a little healthy competition. The only problem is, you have to play by certain rules to win -- possibly at the expense of your values. However, competition draws out the best in people. If it can draw out the best in teachers, and that can draw out the best in the students, there may be hope yet.

But, there has to be another process. Admittedly the current system is easier, but that does not mean it is the best or most fair. Houston teachers are threatening to leave their posts and teachers nationwide are taking notice and asking questions. 

As some other districts around the country implement their own incentive-pay programs, Houston's promises grandeur and invites meticulous scrutiny because it is currently the largest urban area toying with the idea. Educators were naturally excited when the plan to disperse $14 million was introduced in January 2006 . 

However, the plan should have spent a little more time under the microscope before being set into motion. Luckily, the powers that be, namely superintendent Abelardo Saavedra, concede that the plan needs tinkering and plan to make necessary improvements. A little extra-credit project never hurt anyone.

Palmer, a communication and sociology junior, 
can be reached at christianapalmer@gmail.com.