One State Looking To Make Major Change To How Teachers Are Paid
North Carolina teachers could be paid based on performance instead of tenure according to proposed legislation.
North Carolina teachers may be seeing swift changes to the way they are paid. Their School Board of Education has drafted a new plan that would reward teachers based on their performance instead of how long they’ve been teaching. Four subcommittees totaling 100 combined members held 56 meetings and 54 co-chair meetings to discuss and devise a better way to improve learning standards in the public education system. This comes at a time when enrollment is hitting historic lows, filling teaching positions has proven difficult, and numerous teacher’s unions across the country have gone on strike or threatened to.
The proposed system would provide North Carolina teachers with more advancement opportunities, clear expectations, pathways, and pay raises based on their work outcomes. It would be a tiered system that employs teachers of all stages, but bases salaries on certifications and student performance, as well as offering bonuses for teachers who go above and beyond their duties.
Under the new model, North Carolina teachers would enter the public education system as apprentices Teachers, receiving the lowest amount of pay because they would only have an associate’s degree and little to no experience. Then as they earn a Bachelor’s Degree, gain experience, and pair with advanced-level teachers to learn how best to engage students they would be eligible for promotions and pay increases. Expert and Advanced teachers will not only have achieved the proper schooling and training but must also display consistent effective teaching methods for at least 3 years or more.
The pay scales start at 30K dollars per year and cap out at 72K. Some micro-credentials can offer North Carolina teachers a higher standing, but these are not solidified and somewhat concerning is that one of the micro-credentials is titled “Teaching Diverse Learners,” this, in and of itself is not a negative ideal, unfortunately, buzz words like “diversity” “inclusion” and “equity” have been used and inserted into current public school curriculums in order to enact discrimination against white students for being “privileged” simply based on what they look like. Male students are also more likely to receive harsher punishments than female students when acting up, and of course, paging down through this plan a “Qualitative Growth Review” is planned to be developed to further “equity” efforts, so whether this is actually a plan to bring effective change to the education landscape — in an effort to improve public education and rebuild trust between parent and teachers — or whether it is just another hidden attack on the concept of treating teachers and students equally and allowing their choices to determine the outcomes of their endeavors is yet to be seen.
Regardless, this new plan is still in the developing stages and has yet to be finalized or approved. Many teachers, parents, and students admit that the current education system is failing everyone now more than ever, so it’s no wonder that North Carolina wants its teachers to be rewarded for working hard instead of being offered larger payouts for just coming to work year in and year out. Whether this policy is adopted or not, changes are being sought.
