WLBT 3 - Jackson, MS: Extra pay for performance in classroom could be in teachers' futures

Extra pay for performance in classroom could be in teachers' futures

By Jon Kalahar
jkalahar@wlbt.net

Paying public school teachers based on performance, it's an idea President Barack Obama spoke about as one of the reforms he's suggesting to make education better in the United States.

But could it work in Mississippi?

State Superintendent of Education Doctor Hank Bounds calls it a crisis.  Mississippi needs 25-hundred teachers to fill classroom vacancies statewide.

"We should pay those who perform at a higher level more. We do it in every industry out there. I think it helps our recruiting, it helps with retention," said Bounds.

During the Fordice administration, it was included as part of the former governor's master teacher plan. But just like today the funding is what's lacking.

"What we don't want to happen is alternate compensation be tied to test scores," said Kevin Gilbert, Mississippi Association of Educators president.

And how you grade teacher performance may be a bigger obstacle than funding. Gilbert says level the playing field for all teachers.

"Since the five year pay plan was instituted there has not been a teacher pay increase in this state and what has happened is we're slowly moving ourselves back toward the bottom," said Gilbert.

In the legislature, they are trying to give schools the resources they need then hold accountable the leaders and teachers for how they use them.

"You can't necessarily compare what one third grade class is doing versus what another third grade class is doing. It's not just about money but you've got to have adequate resources," said Rep. Cecil Brown, (D) Jackson.

Still, while Bounds believes pay isn't everything, he says it is what will draw in the quality school and classroom leaders.

"At the end of the day, the only thing that matters is how good the teachers are and how good the leaders are, that's what determines whether or not students learn," said Bounds.