KPLU Local News
(2009-07-21)
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Flickr photo by sumrtime.
Activist Andrew Kwatinetz says his question is one of common sense. "How can one of the most important jobs in the world NOT be based on merit?"
Kwatinetz is with the Seattle chapter of Community and Parents for Public Schools. The group has tapped into a current of frustration. In May, after Seattle schools laid off more than 150 teachers, his group circulated a petition to make 'teacher effectiveness' the determining factor of who gets let go. The petition now has more than a thousand endorsers. "Even if we could only identify 20 poor performers that wouldn't have otherwise have been laid off, that could be a positive change for hundreds of kids," Kwatinetz says.
It turns out it may not be the year to break the hold on the status quo. In their current negotiations, the union rejected a pilot program Seattle Public Schools wants on merit pay and teacher effectiveness. It would link teacher compensation with student achievements, and reward teachers willing to work in historically under-performing schools. The union called it unacceptable' and divisive.'
Olga Addae is president of the Seattle Education Association. Addae asks "How do we honor OBJECTIVELY the sage and wisdom of our experienced teachers. And what is most objective is seniority." Others disagree.
"It's really hard to make the case that seniority-based reductions in force are the way to go when student achievement is your bottom line," says Dan Goldhaber with the University of Washington's Center on Reinventing Public Education. Goldhaber rejects the union's claim that no research supports merit pay systems. He's conducted some of it himself.
Goldhaber's watching what's going on in other large urban districts around the country. Denver's teachers approved a performance-pay system five years ago. Nashville is finishing up a three-year experiment, and New York City and Memphis schools adopted school-wide bonuses based on student achievement. Goldhaber says there's a shift in attitudes taking place. "In some cases I've seen union officials make the argument that this is actually good for us, because we've been arguing for many years teachers are underpaid, and we haven't made much headway with those arguments. So we need to think about accepting some alternatives to the way teachers are paid, which really aligns us more closely with other professionals," he says.
Union openness to new ideas is being encouraged from the top. President Barack Obama and Education Secretary Arne Duncan are challenging the major unions to think differently and be willing to change, especially on compensation issues. Duncan's speech before the National Education Association (NEA) earlier this month drew some boos, but also applause.
NEA president Dennis Van Roekel says his union is open to conversation, as long as everyone's ready to tackle tough questions. "If you don't want seniority for loss of jobs, that those who are hired last are let go first, which is pretty common in a lot of industry, not just in education. But as soon as you say you don't want that, what's the criteria then? What would it be?"
For example, Van Roekel draws a line in the sand at using single test scores, like the WASL, to judge teacher effectiveness. Instead, he says effectiveness could be measured by a number of factors, and the formula could be different in Seattle than, say, Tacoma.
The state's new Superintendent of Public Instruction, Randy Dorn, agrees these are local union decisions. Yet, Dorn says the discussion on alternatives to seniority is one that has to happen. "There's no system on the table today that anybody could agree on that is a good system for identifying your best and brightest and most effective teachers. But I do think we need to work on that and work in that direction," according to Dorn. In the din of the debate is something Seattle's union president says cannot be lost. It's the value a seasoned teacher brings to their younger, less experienced colleagues. Olga Addae remembers her first years in the classroom. "Did I have a lot of energy? Yes. But I also see the backbone of education as those educators who stay in the classroom because they love teaching."
Union and district negotiators resume bargaining in August to forge a contract for Seattle's teachers. The district won't comment on whether it will still try to win at least some agreement on a merit pay pilot program. Meanwhile parent groups and reformers will be watching closely to see if President Obama's call for reform can get traction here. Gary Davis, KPLU News, Seattle.
The latest information on the Seattle School District and Seattle Education Association contract offerings:
Seattle Public Schools web site
Seattle Education Association web site
Other sites of interest:
Community & Parents for Public Schools of Seattle web site
UW's Center on Reinventing Public Education, Dan Goldhaber's web page
