From The Speaker's Office ~ Performance pay programs in other states resulted in better results for students and a better work environment for teachers, according to testimony by an expert on Tuesday in the first round of hearings to develop a comprehensive performance pay plan for Oklahoma's teachers.
"This is a promising strategy. It's worth trying and evaluating rigorously," said Gary Ritter (pictured), an associate professor and endowed chair in education policy at the University of Arkansas' Department of Education Reform. "The one component we know improves student performance is the effectiveness of a teacher."
Speaker Lance Cargill, R-Harrah, said Ritter's "balanced and thorough testimony" began to debunk many of the myths surrounding performance pay, including a common charge by opponents that performance pay creates so-called "negative competition" or hurts collaboration among teachers.
"It was exciting to learn that performance pay plans across the country are encouraging collaboration, team work and higher performance among teachers," said Cargill. "While we should take into account a variety of factors when developing a performance pay plan, defenders of the status quo may never run out of reasons why they oppose reforms. Once one set of concerns is addressed they will likely move the ball by coming up with new concerns. But for most Oklahomans, performance pay makes perfect sense because it rewards teachers for success. Performance pay has never been given serious consideration in Oklahoma. We've basically had the same teacher compensation system for a hundred years. Some opponents are so stuck in the past that they can't possibly move this state forward. But now is the time for bold reform."
Ritter testified that under current "single salary" systems such as that used for Oklahoma teachers, rewards for teaching excellence decline over time. By contrast, he said, performance pay plans can be an effective tool to recruit and retain good teachers.
In one example, Ritter examined a pilot project in Little Rock, Ark. schools called Achievement Challenge Pilot Project (ACPP), and found that it boosted student test scores. The program did not hurt teacher collaboration and encouraged a positive school environment.
Ritter also testified that "lump sum", across-the-board pay raises for teachers have not generated increased student achievements where such raises have been implemented across the country.
"Whatever performance pay system we develop in Oklahoma, it's clear that the days of one-size-fits-all pay raises are over," said Cargill. "We should be rewarding success, not punishing it by encouraging mediocrity."
Tuesday's hearing was the first in a series of five hearings that will run through Oct. 9. The next is scheduled for Sept. 11, and will hear from school officials and teacher organizations.
House Education Committee Chairman Tad Jones, who chaired Tuesday's hearing, said it was a good start. Jones has championed such reforms as the Academic Achievement Awards in Oklahoma, a program that provides cash bonuses to teachers in high-performing or greatly improved schools.
"We've taken some positive first steps over the past few years. With these hearings we're simply trying to develop a plan that pays teachers as professionals," said Jones, R-Claremore. "We should be doing everything we can to keep good teachers in the classroom where they can make a difference in children's lives."
Rep. Earl Sears, who is helping Jones facilitate the hearings, said that during his years as a school principal a performance pay plan similar to those discussed at Tuesday's hearing would have made a positive difference.
"Having a performance pay system in place would have allowed teachers in my school to do a better job with their students," said Sears, R-Bartlesville, who served as principal of Central Middle School in Bartlesville for 24 years.
Cargill and House Republican lawmakers first signaled they would pursue a comprehensive performance-based pay system for Oklahoma teachers after lawmakers completed a $4,800 pay raise commitment for teachers over the past three years. Part of this year’s state budget agreement included an additional $400 on top of an already-agreed to $600 pay raise – with the additional funds weighted toward veteran teachers or those with advanced degrees.
