Merit Pay for Teachers
* The Times continues to support teacher merit pay without considering the complexities of implementation (editorial, July 30). Linking teacher salaries to standardized test scores does not take into account the high student transiency rate in many LAUSD schools. It also does not consider the large number of newly arrived immigrants who need time to acquire the English language, yet are expected to perform on pace with native speakers on the Stanford 9.
Implementing a merit pay scheme will result in teaching to a test that, in many instances, is not aligned with state standards. A true merit pay system would examine a variety of factors including observation of teacher performance, ongoing authentic assessment of student progress throughout the year and the rate of language acquisition for English-language learners. Until such a system is in place, teachers will oppose pay schemes based on standardized tests as unrealistic and detrimental to both students and teachers.
LISA HUMPHREY
Los Angeles
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The Times has once again made a generalization about the rewards and accountability practices of “any other profession.” I am now a teacher, but I have had many other experiences as a working adult. What I have seen in other professions is that incompetence in upper management is often rewarded with promotions.
I have also observed that those who do work and perform but aren’t a part of the social elite in a company are given pink slips. Also, white-collar criminals are merely given fines and rarely jail time.
Please, before you trumpet about accountability in other professions, let’s see where that is happening. It’s usually the workers who are held accountable, not the professionals.
KERRY KOERBLING
Hollywood
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Is UTLA finally supporting accountability for educators? Union President Day Higuchi is on record as opposing parity contracts among educators. Does this mean that ineffective teachers will not be compensated on a par with effective teachers? Teachers at the top of the salary scale make more money per hour worked at the school site than do administrators at the top of their salary schedule.
DAN BASALONE
Fullerton
