No Excuses
The new campaign of the teachers union is "No Excuses."
The article states that one teacher "thinks the campaign is a great idea, but she questions whether legislators will ever give education more funding. 'Those guys are so resistant to change,' she said."
It's odd how political perceptions can be so different. Other than simply wanting increased teachers' pay, I don't recall major initiatives for change that the Union has supported in recent history. Maybe someone will remind me of one.
In any event, I welcome the Union's campaign to boldly work for change in a no-excuses environment. Here are some changes that could use the Union's support:
1. Increased pay for the best teachers. The societal value of a good teacher is incalculable. My perception is that the Union has been the biggest obstacle to paying teachers what they are worth; rather, the Union has insisted that the worst teachers be paid the same as the best teachers, which of course is discouraging to the high-achievers who know they are underpaid because the worst teachers are overpaid. In a no-excuses environment, this change should be easy to make.
2. Increased performance in math for grades 4-6. We're doing a better job in Utah of getting children to read at grade level by the 3rd grade. The next step is to get them to grade level in math by the 6th grade. After that, much will be on auto-pilot.
3. Increased ability to terminate the worst teachers. A few bad teachers hurt our children's progress and should be fired. Though the Union historically has defended the worst teachers' "right" to stay in the classroom, it is hoped that the Union's new no-excuses approach will lead it to embrace such a common sense change.
4. Increased pay for starting teachers. Beginning teachers don't make enough money, and that hurts the pool of potential teachers. Negotiating with the districts, to divide up the chunk of legislatively-appropriated money, the Unions historically have used their clout to push the money away from starting teachers and toward older teachers at the top of the scale. The more-established teachers dominate the Unions and want to maximize their retirement benefits (which are based on the average of the highest 3 years of a teacher's career). The Union's new no-excuses approach should lead it to help increase starting teachers' pay, by supporting a specifically-appropriated bonus that is equal for ALL teachers, rather than insist that starting teachers receive less of any bonus than the more-established teachers do.
5. School choice. Some families determine that their children could do better in a private school, but they can't afford it. The State should provide some assistance to low-income families, while ensuring that the amount of assistance is less than the cost the State would have spent to educate those students in the public system. In other words, the families get an option and the State saves money. It is hoped that the Union's new no-excuses approach will lead it to support families' educational decisions.
It is time. No excuses!
The article states that one teacher "thinks the campaign is a great idea, but she questions whether legislators will ever give education more funding. 'Those guys are so resistant to change,' she said."
It's odd how political perceptions can be so different. Other than simply wanting increased teachers' pay, I don't recall major initiatives for change that the Union has supported in recent history. Maybe someone will remind me of one.
In any event, I welcome the Union's campaign to boldly work for change in a no-excuses environment. Here are some changes that could use the Union's support:
1. Increased pay for the best teachers. The societal value of a good teacher is incalculable. My perception is that the Union has been the biggest obstacle to paying teachers what they are worth; rather, the Union has insisted that the worst teachers be paid the same as the best teachers, which of course is discouraging to the high-achievers who know they are underpaid because the worst teachers are overpaid. In a no-excuses environment, this change should be easy to make.
2. Increased performance in math for grades 4-6. We're doing a better job in Utah of getting children to read at grade level by the 3rd grade. The next step is to get them to grade level in math by the 6th grade. After that, much will be on auto-pilot.
3. Increased ability to terminate the worst teachers. A few bad teachers hurt our children's progress and should be fired. Though the Union historically has defended the worst teachers' "right" to stay in the classroom, it is hoped that the Union's new no-excuses approach will lead it to embrace such a common sense change.
4. Increased pay for starting teachers. Beginning teachers don't make enough money, and that hurts the pool of potential teachers. Negotiating with the districts, to divide up the chunk of legislatively-appropriated money, the Unions historically have used their clout to push the money away from starting teachers and toward older teachers at the top of the scale. The more-established teachers dominate the Unions and want to maximize their retirement benefits (which are based on the average of the highest 3 years of a teacher's career). The Union's new no-excuses approach should lead it to help increase starting teachers' pay, by supporting a specifically-appropriated bonus that is equal for ALL teachers, rather than insist that starting teachers receive less of any bonus than the more-established teachers do.
5. School choice. Some families determine that their children could do better in a private school, but they can't afford it. The State should provide some assistance to low-income families, while ensuring that the amount of assistance is less than the cost the State would have spent to educate those students in the public system. In other words, the families get an option and the State saves money. It is hoped that the Union's new no-excuses approach will lead it to support families' educational decisions.
It is time. No excuses!
posted by steve u. at 10/24/2005
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23 Comments:
To the union, "no excuses" means no excuses for the legislature not spending more on education. In terms of real dollars, Utah spends over than 400% more per student than in 1960. Those apparently woefully underfunded schoolchildren of 45 years ago had much better test scores in all of the hard subjects than do today's students.
If all of that extra money has produced worse performance, where has it gone? Certainly not to the salaries of teachers that are actually in the classroom.
Rather than getting more money, our school systems need more accountability to the taxpayers they serve. The systems need to scrap nonproductive expenditures in favor of ones that achieve the real goal of educating our kids in truly important subjects. They need to use the funds they now receive more productively.
Nice, elegant, straightforward post.
While I appreciate that veteran teachers can bring valuable experience, to be 'veteran' does not make one a good teacher. The scaling of teacher's salaries should encourage teachers to stay for the long haul--something very important, perhaps not as important as the union thinks, but you're right, it also discourages some of the best from even considering the field because the "rewards" are postponed for 20 years, and can attract the dud who at least has the endurance to waste time for lots of years. You make great points in each of the 5.
Can we pay legislators on merit?
I have a feeling that merit pay to legislators wouldn't be much more than teachers make now. There are a LOT of factors that would have to go into it.
There is an amazing array of school choice today. I'm amazed at what there is compared to many years ago. I don't support welfare payments though. Through the private sector sure, but not through the public sector. It's welfare payments for someone's personal choice.
Yes, we spend 400% more per students, but we spend more money for EVERYTHING now.
What would go a long way to help also is for ALL of us to be on the same page and to work together. Such would not require a bunch of tax money, but rather a little time.
A teacher can be fired for even the littlest things today. It doesn't help when there are hawks trying to find any negative thing they can about teachers and blaming just them for many of society's ills.
My father taught me to respect teachers and to make sure I learned something rather no matter whom the teacher was. I resent those (teachers included) who try to create a climate of disrespect and negativity towards teachers.
A number 6 could include increased opportunities for students in high school to get college credit.
Yes, no excuses. No excuses from teachers, parents, legislators, students, or anyone. Let's all work together.
There is more accountability than ever before in Utah schools. However, some of that is being funneled into other areas with decreased accountability. I'm not for that.
My father didn't need "school choice." HE ALREADY HAD IT even though he had to "send" his children to those "horrible" public schools. He knew that he was the main influence on his children and made sure that education was paramount (next to religion and family) in importance. This was not in a rich area either, but with inner city schools. We all received great educations.
DUMB DUMB DUMB (resistant to change) thing to say for a teacher, but ALSO a dumb thing to say for a legislator. People on both sides have changed quite a great deal. Ask any teacher if any two years are the same.
If there are welfare payments like vouchers, the money should be left in the system and then it will increase the amount per student spent. HOWEVER, under the current method, this would NOT be the case, though voucher activists would try to say otherwise. Funding is not done on a lump-sum basis, but rather on a per-student basis. Vouchers DO take away from the public system. If it goes towards some who were not in the system previously (in other words the taxes did not pay for them), then it is even moreso. They take away taxes from some while expecting others to pick up part of their tab of sending their kid to a private school.
Private sector vouchers would be fine. Public ones are liberal.
I had many wonderful teachers while in school. I hope that we can establish an atmosphere of respect between legislators, teachers, parents, and children. Such would go a long way to solving many educational ills.
No excuses for the teachers' unions should be to not give in to the liberal special interest groups (e.g. PCE) trying to do all they can against education. Rather, they should try hard to work with education conservatives to do all they can to help solve some of the problems.
I way that we have legislative choice too. Give money to some of the other third parties and some to quality Democrats so that we have a REAL choice in Utah government other than the Republican primaries.
It seems that legislators say more accountability is needed on one side and less on the other. Kind of makes it hard to talk that way.
Let's just increase the government regulating each year. That's how the legislature has done it for many years, why stop now.
A low cost method of merit pay would be to make sure that good teachers are recognized and cherished. The best merit pay for many teachers are the thank yous and the chance to see a difference made in the life of a child. The compliments are few and far between for many good teachers. If teachers feel like their efforts are appreciated, just see what happens.
Amen to that last poster. I used to ride the bus to work. One bus driver commented that students from a certain high school were always respectful and well-behaved. I urged her to tell the principal that. She did and his jaw dropped. He said that was the first time someone had come to give a compliment. They even put it in the school newspaper. I wish that many more such things could happen like that rather than sitting on the sidelines bashing as many are wont to do.
I just checked now checked to see if there were any comments, and I am very pleased to see the quality and tenor of the comments. Thanks to all.
The public education system in Utah is wonderful. As a policymaker and a parent, I'm grateful for the high-quality system we have. The system provides a good product -- mainly, I think, because of two positive factors in Utah: (1) good families that send children to school ready to be taught and (2) extremely dedicated teachers.
Like any area of government, though, it can do better. We should constantly strive to make improvements. And improvement means continually moving away from the status quo in certain areas (and, conversely, protecting and funding the most positive aspects).
I would appreciate more comment on items that I think are vital to further improving the system -- paying the best teachers more and showing the worst teachers the door.
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