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Title: MA: Teaching Reform Act (Statute) Post by: Queen Mum Inks.LWC on July 06, 2011, 04:07:10 PM Quote Teaching Reform Act Sponsor: A-BobSection 1 Public education teaching payment shall be based on the following: 30% Education acquired by degree, in any area. The greater amount of degrees and the more advanced degree will result in a higher salary. 35% Years spent teaching in public, private, charter schools, or universities. The longer a teacher has spent teaching, the greater their salary. 30% Regional test score results for their students. The higher the regional test scores the students they teach score, the greater their salary. 5% Former occupation related to teaching. For teachers who have had occupations related to their current teaching (like an engineering now teaching math), they will have a greater salary. Section 2 The starting teacher salary will be $35,000 annually and will between this amount and $65,000 for any other given year based on Section 1’s formula. The teaching salary will be based on a sliding scale Section 3 Each year there will be an annual test developed by the education department of the Mideast Government for grades 3-10 in the areas of math, writing, reading, science, and social studies. This regional test will be used to determine the 30% of the salary based on regional testing scores for teachers. Teachers who teach Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) will be scored on student’s results if they teach 11th or 12th grade students whom will not take the regional test due to local district requirements. Scores of the regional test will only affect the teacher teaching in their specific area (an English teacher is only scored on Writing and Reading). Section 4 Teachers who do not teach a subject related to Math, Writing, Reading, Science, and Social Studies, and/or do not teach an AP or IB class, will not be subject to the 30% teaching salary category based on the regional test scores. Teachers who fall into the Section 4 category will only have the ability to achieve a maximum of $60,000 annually for salary. Title: Re: MA: Teaching Reform Act (Debating) Post by: FEMA Camp Administrator on July 06, 2011, 04:34:53 PM Seems pretty straight forward.
Title: Re: MA: Teaching Reform Act (Debating) Post by: Mopsus on July 06, 2011, 04:38:19 PM My primary concern with this bill is, teacher's salary is not related to the improvement of the student's test scores. Surely, if the average test score of a class increases from a C at the beginning of the semester to a B at the end of the semester, the salary of the teacher of said class should increase accordingly.
Title: Re: MA: Teaching Reform Act (Debating) Post by: California8429 on July 06, 2011, 06:32:24 PM My primary concern with this bill is, teacher's salary is not related to the improvement of the student's test scores. Surely, if the average test score of a class increases from a C at the beginning of the semester to a B at the end of the semester, the salary of the teacher of said class should increase accordingly. Write an amendment and throw it in there Title: Re: MA: Teaching Reform Act (Debating) Post by: afleitch on July 06, 2011, 06:41:54 PM My primary concern with this bill is, teacher's salary is not related to the improvement of the student's test scores. Surely, if the average test score of a class increases from a C at the beginning of the semester to a B at the end of the semester, the salary of the teacher of said class should increase accordingly. Re-weighting a salary after each semester would be administratively difficult and doesn't allow teachers to plan their household income for the year ahead. An annual review would be satisfactory. Title: Re: MA: Teaching Reform Act (Debating) Post by: California8429 on July 06, 2011, 06:49:32 PM My primary concern with this bill is, teacher's salary is not related to the improvement of the student's test scores. Surely, if the average test score of a class increases from a C at the beginning of the semester to a B at the end of the semester, the salary of the teacher of said class should increase accordingly. Re-weighting a salary after each semester would be administratively difficult and doesn't allow teachers to plan their household income for the year ahead. An annual review would be satisfactory. I was reading it as the score change over the year (beginning of the year, to end of semester A, to end of semester B) would weight the salary) but change the salary on a year to year basis Title: Re: MA: Teaching Reform Act (Debating) Post by: Mopsus on July 06, 2011, 07:31:38 PM My primary concern with this bill is, teacher's salary is not related to the improvement of the student's test scores. Surely, if the average test score of a class increases from a C at the beginning of the semester to a B at the end of the semester, the salary of the teacher of said class should increase accordingly. Re-weighting a salary after each semester would be administratively difficult and doesn't allow teachers to plan their household income for the year ahead. An annual review would be satisfactory. I was reading it as the score change over the year (beginning of the year, to end of semester A, to end of semester B) would weight the salary) but change the salary on a year to year basis Title: Re: MA: Teaching Reform Act (Debating) Post by: tmthforu94 on July 06, 2011, 08:56:20 PM I still remain opposed to putting such a high percentage towards tests scores. It put's teacher's in rural and inner-city areas at a disadvantage and is certainly discouraging.
Title: Re: MA: Teaching Reform Act (Debating) Post by: Mopsus on July 06, 2011, 09:01:42 PM I still remain opposed to putting such a high percentage towards tests scores. It put's teacher's in rural and inner-city areas at a disadvantage and is certainly discouraging. Title: Re: MA: Teaching Reform Act (Debating) Post by: tmthforu94 on July 06, 2011, 09:19:34 PM I still remain opposed to putting such a high percentage towards tests scores. It put's teacher's in rural and inner-city areas at a disadvantage and is certainly discouraging. I'm just saying, I think it's unfair when you're using the same system for teacher's pay in Avon, Indiana that you are in, say, Sullivan, Indiana. Title: Re: MA: Teaching Reform Act (Debating) Post by: California8429 on July 06, 2011, 09:27:24 PM I still remain opposed to putting such a high percentage towards tests scores. It put's teacher's in rural and inner-city areas at a disadvantage and is certainly discouraging. I'm just saying, I think it's unfair when you're using the same system for teacher's pay in Avon, Indiana that you are in, say, Sullivan, Indiana. It could be a wide range of scores, AP, SAT, ACT as well as class vs class in schools, statewide testing, etc Title: Re: MA: Teaching Reform Act (Debating) Post by: tmthforu94 on July 06, 2011, 10:03:01 PM I still remain opposed to putting such a high percentage towards tests scores. It put's teacher's in rural and inner-city areas at a disadvantage and is certainly discouraging. I'm just saying, I think it's unfair when you're using the same system for teacher's pay in Avon, Indiana that you are in, say, Sullivan, Indiana. It could be a wide range of scores, AP, SAT, ACT as well as class vs class in schools, statewide testing, etc Title: Re: MA: Teaching Reform Act (Debating) Post by: California8429 on July 06, 2011, 10:23:22 PM I still remain opposed to putting such a high percentage towards tests scores. It put's teacher's in rural and inner-city areas at a disadvantage and is certainly discouraging. I'm just saying, I think it's unfair when you're using the same system for teacher's pay in Avon, Indiana that you are in, say, Sullivan, Indiana. It could be a wide range of scores, AP, SAT, ACT as well as class vs class in schools, statewide testing, etc It's kinda obvious I'm not talking about 2nd graders for that part :P But I am all for increasing funding for more honors and AP courses as well as giving kids the option to take specific classes at a nearby school if it is not offered at their own. Title: Re: MA: Teaching Reform Act (Debating) Post by: Mopsus on July 07, 2011, 07:20:34 PM With all the controversy surrounding standardized testing and determining teacher's salary by the performance of their students on standardized tests, I wonder if it would not be wise to place less emphasis on tests and more emphasis on performance in regular classroom lessons. Your thoughts?
Title: Re: MA: Teaching Reform Act (Debating) Post by: California8429 on July 07, 2011, 08:24:10 PM With all the controversy surrounding standardized testing and determining teacher's salary by the performance of their students on standardized tests, I wonder if it would not be wise to place less emphasis on tests and more emphasis on performance in regular classroom lessons. Your thoughts? The problem with salary on merit for teachers is 1) their students can just be a bad bunch, 2) it discourages teaching in urban districts 3) their students have the ability to screw them over 4) it's all about student motivation (which if a teacher can get them motivated, is the greatest asset to their learning). However by also letting bad teachers retain tenure, that screws the students. If anyone can come up with some idea where we can get rid of bad teachers, reward hard working teachers that motivate their students and successfully teach them to that their scores increase, please PLEASE come forward. No idea is bad at this point. Just throw them out. Title: Re: MA: Teaching Reform Act (Debating) Post by: afleitch on July 08, 2011, 07:17:37 AM There should be a clause to ensure that teachers who teach children with special educational needs or learning disabilties are are excluded from this structure. Ideally, if pay is performance based it should be linked to how each individual school measures pupil performance.
Title: Re: MA: Teaching Reform Act (Debating) Post by: Mopsus on July 08, 2011, 11:46:12 AM With all the controversy surrounding standardized testing and determining teacher's salary by the performance of their students on standardized tests, I wonder if it would not be wise to place less emphasis on tests and more emphasis on performance in regular classroom lessons. Your thoughts? The problem with salary on merit for teachers is 1) their students can just be a bad bunch, 2) it discourages teaching in urban districts 3) their students have the ability to screw them over 4) it's all about student motivation (which if a teacher can get them motivated, is the greatest asset to their learning). Quote However by also letting bad teachers retain tenure, that screws the students. If anyone can come up with some idea where we can get rid of bad teachers, reward hard working teachers that motivate their students and successfully teach them to that their scores increase, please PLEASE come forward. I'm aware of the problems granting full tenure to primary school teachers causes. Perhaps we should make it more difficult to attain tenure? Perhaps require teachers to earn it, instead of granting it automatically? Or extending the amount of time teachers are required to teach before they're awarded it?No idea is bad at this point. Just throw them out. Title: Re: MA: Teaching Reform Act (Debating) Post by: California8429 on July 08, 2011, 12:26:16 PM Both of those are wonderful ideas. I'm with afleitch 100% with that.
And MO's idea of making it harder to gain tenure in the first place is smart as well. Title: Re: MA: Teaching Reform Act (Debating) Post by: Queen Mum Inks.LWC on July 08, 2011, 10:00:48 PM There should be a clause to ensure that teachers who teach children with special educational needs or learning disabilties are are excluded from this structure. Ideally, if pay is performance based it should be linked to how each individual school measures pupil performance. Do you have an amendment for that? Title: Re: MA: Teaching Reform Act (Debating) Post by: afleitch on July 09, 2011, 01:37:31 PM There should be a clause to ensure that teachers who teach children with special educational needs or learning disabilties are are excluded from this structure. Ideally, if pay is performance based it should be linked to how each individual school measures pupil performance. Do you have an amendment for that? Amendment to Section 1(b) (or even a seperate section) Section 1 is re-numbered Section 1(a) Insert: Section 1(b) "Teachers who teach specialised classes for students with recognised Special Educational needs and Learning Disabilities are not subject to the pay structure in Section 1(a) and the following structure is deemed to apply; 30% Education acquired by degree, in any area. The greater amount of degrees and the more advanced degree will result in a higher salary. 35% Years spent teaching in public, private, charter schools, or universities. The longer a teacher has spent teaching, the greater their salary. 30% Years spent teaching, volunteering and undertaking additional study in relation to Special Educational Needs and/or working with children with Learning Disabilities. 5% Former occupation related to teaching. For teachers who have had occupations related to their current teaching." ---- Amendment to Section 3 Insert: "With the agreement of the Educational Department, individual schools or school districts may be permitted to vary the content of the annual test to take into account specific educational environments or circumstances on an annual basis." Title: Re: MA: Teaching Reform Act (Debating) Post by: Queen Mum Inks.LWC on July 10, 2011, 12:20:58 AM Is that one amendment or two?
Title: Re: MA: Teaching Reform Act (Debating) Post by: California8429 on July 10, 2011, 11:58:12 PM I believe two and both I support
Title: Re: MA: Teaching Reform Act (Debating) Post by: ZuWo on July 11, 2011, 04:27:20 AM As has been stated, there are many different factors that have an influence on students' performance in tests and teachers can't be made responsible for mediocre or bad test results in every single case. Therefore, I tend believe we should skip the "salary on merit" part of Section 1 altogether. Deleting this clause would relieve teachers from a great deal of pressure.
Edit: Ok, now that I have seen afleitch's amendment to Section 3 I can agree with the salary on merit idea. I both support his amendment to Section 1, which deals with teachers of specialised classes, and the amendment to Section 3, which says that differing educational environments can be taken into account when it comes to the tests. Title: Re: MA: Teaching Reform Act (Debating) Post by: afleitch on July 11, 2011, 06:30:57 AM Is that one amendment or two? Two. Title: Re: MA: Teaching Reform Act (Vote on Amendment) Post by: Queen Mum Inks.LWC on July 15, 2011, 03:54:14 AM Voting is now open on the following amendents. Members will vote AYE, NAY, or ABSTAIN. This will be a 48 hour vote.
Amendment 1: Quote Amendment to Section 1 Section 1 is re-numbered Section 1(a) Insert: Section 1(b) "Teachers who teach specialised classes for students with recognised Special Educational needs and Learning Disabilities are not subject to the pay structure in Section 1(a) and the following structure is deemed to apply; 30% Education acquired by degree, in any area. The greater amount of degrees and the more advanced degree will result in a higher salary. 35% Years spent teaching in public, private, charter schools, or universities. The longer a teacher has spent teaching, the greater their salary. 30% Years spent teaching, volunteering and undertaking additional study in relation to Special Educational Needs and/or working with children with Learning Disabilities. 5% Former occupation related to teaching. For teachers who have had occupations related to their current teaching." Amendment 2: Quote Amendment to Section 3 Insert: "With the agreement of the Educational Department, individual schools or school districts may be permitted to vary the content of the annual test to take into account specific educational environments or circumstances on an annual basis." Title: Re: MA: Teaching Reform Act (Vote on Amendment) Post by: ZuWo on July 15, 2011, 03:56:01 AM Aye to both amendments.
Title: Re: MA: Teaching Reform Act (Vote on Amendment) Post by: afleitch on July 15, 2011, 06:33:49 AM Aye to both
Title: Re: MA: Teaching Reform Act (Vote on Amendment) Post by: FEMA Camp Administrator on July 15, 2011, 09:39:22 AM Aye to both.
Title: Re: MA: Teaching Reform Act (Vote on Amendment) Post by: Mopsus on July 15, 2011, 11:13:49 AM Amendment 1: Aye
Amendment 2: Aye Title: Re: MA: Teaching Reform Act (Vote on Amendment) Post by: Queen Mum Inks.LWC on July 15, 2011, 10:38:54 PM AYE
AYE Title: Re: MA: Teaching Reform Act (Vote on Amendment) Post by: California8429 on July 18, 2011, 12:54:04 PM Is this it for amendments everyone?
Title: Re: MA: Teaching Reform Act (Final Vote) Post by: Queen Mum Inks.LWC on July 19, 2011, 11:28:11 PM Voting is now closed. The AYEs are 5, and the NAYs are 0. The AYEs have it and the amendments are agreed to. The bill now reads as follows, and is brought to a final vote. Members will vote AYE, NAY, or ABSTAIN. This will be a 48 hour vote:
Quote Teaching Reform Act Section 1(a) Public education teaching payment shall be based on the following: 30% Education acquired by degree, in any area. The greater amount of degrees and the more advanced degree will result in a higher salary. 35% Years spent teaching in public, private, charter schools, or universities. The longer a teacher has spent teaching, the greater their salary. 30% Regional test score results for their students. The higher the regional test scores the students they teach score, the greater their salary. 5% Former occupation related to teaching. For teachers who have had occupations related to their current teaching (like an engineering now teaching math), they will have a greater salary. Section 1(b) "Teachers who teach specialised classes for students with recognised Special Educational needs and Learning Disabilities are not subject to the pay structure in Section 1(a) and the following structure is deemed to apply; 30% Education acquired by degree, in any area. The greater amount of degrees and the more advanced degree will result in a higher salary. 35% Years spent teaching in public, private, charter schools, or universities. The longer a teacher has spent teaching, the greater their salary. 30% Years spent teaching, volunteering and undertaking additional study in relation to Special Educational Needs and/or working with children with Learning Disabilities. 5% Former occupation related to teaching. For teachers who have had occupations related to their current teaching." Section 2 The starting teacher salary will be $35,000 annually and will be between this amount and $65,000 for any other given year based on Section 1’s formula. The teaching salary will be based on a sliding scale Section 3 Each year there will be an annual test developed by the education department of the Mideast Government for grades 3-10 in the areas of math, writing, reading, science, and social studies. This regional test will be used to determine the 30% of the salary based on regional testing scores for teachers. Teachers who teach Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) will be scored on student’s results if they teach 11th or 12th grade students whom will not take the regional test due to local district requirements. Scores of the regional test will only affect the teacher teaching in their specific area (an English teacher is only scored on Writing and Reading). With the agreement of the Educational Department, individual schools or school districts may be permitted to vary the content of the annual test to take into account specific educational environments or circumstances on an annual basis. Section 4 Teachers who do not teach a subject related to Math, Writing, Reading, Science, and Social Studies, and/or do not teach an AP or IB class, will not be subject to the 30% teaching salary category based on the regional test scores. Teachers who fall into the Section 4 category will only have the ability to achieve a maximum of $60,000 annually for salary. Title: Re: MA: Teaching Reform Act (Final Vote) Post by: ZuWo on July 20, 2011, 02:40:25 AM Aye
Title: Re: MA: Teaching Reform Act (Final Vote) Post by: Mopsus on July 20, 2011, 11:27:33 AM Aye
Title: Re: MA: Teaching Reform Act (Final Vote) Post by: FEMA Camp Administrator on July 21, 2011, 08:30:34 PM Nay, after consulting with an educational professional.
Title: Re: MA: Teaching Reform Act (Debating) Post by: California8429 on July 21, 2011, 09:39:49 PM Seems pretty straight forward. ... It's great that you expressed your concerns, your views, and submitted amendments for this bill before voting Nay to accomplish absolutely no education reform and innovation for failing and failed public schools. Title: Re: MA: Teaching Reform Act (Final Vote) Post by: Queen Mum Inks.LWC on July 22, 2011, 03:06:12 AM One small grammatical error.
I ask unanimous consent that the word "be" be inserted into Section 2 between the words "will" and "between", but that this amendment be made retroactive to before voting started. Title: Re: MA: Teaching Reform Act (Final Vote) Post by: Queen Mum Inks.LWC on July 22, 2011, 03:07:00 AM Hearing no objection, the motion is agreed to.
AYE Title: Re: MA: Teaching Reform Act (Passed) Post by: Queen Mum Inks.LWC on July 22, 2011, 03:08:16 AM Voting is now closed. The AYEs are 3, and the NAYs are 1, with 1 not voting. The AYEs have it, and the bill is passed. The bill is now passed on to the Governor for his signature or veto.
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