Idea to link teachers pay to student performance doomed to fail, says union

A report that says teachers pay should be linked to the performance of their students was picked apart by the Ottawa elementary school teachers union Monday as a “crazy idea that “won’t work.”

“Any time there has been any attempt at this it has failed,” said Peter Giuliani, president of the Ottawa-Carleton Elementary Teachers’ Federation, adding that where the scheme was taken up in the U.S. it is no longer in action.

Right now teacher pay is linked to two variables: their level of post-secondary education and years of teaching experience. As a base, their pay increases at a steady two per cent annually. Yet the report Obtaining Better Teachers for Canadian Public Schools, issued by the Fraser Institute September 9 indicates there is a better way.  (more...)

Idea to link teachers pay to student performance doomed to fail, says union