School-wide merit pay in NYC?

The agreement is all but in place in NYC. When the legislature approves the pension changes (and they will), then the merit pay system will open.

Vote for people who commit to share the $ equally.

• It starts with 200 schools in 2008-09. Then 200 more (400 total) in 2009-10.
• It was in the 2005 contract agreement. It was point 14 from the Memo of Agreement (reproduced at bottom)
• It certainly wasn’t prominent in the discussions or the factsheets that our leaders provided. But it was there. And, it will be here, most likely.
• It is merit pay. School-based is less bad than individual, but let’s not mince words.
• Over on Edwize they claim it shuts the door on individual merit pay. How?

There is a danger that in some schools the committees will degenerate into real merit-pay committees. They certainly will be making the test data easily available to all the teachers and administrators in your school.

If your school gets a “bonus committee,” put people on it who know what solidarity really means. Put on people who pledge up front that any “bonus” will be shared equally, regardless of test scores, regardless of title. Put on people who refuse to play teacher against teacher or (teacher against para, or teacher against secretary or teacher against counselor).

Here’s point 14 (from Memo of Agreement, scroll down for item 14)

14. LABOR/MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE ON LONG TERM REFORMS
This is to confirm the parties’ understanding with regard to the long term recommendations the Fact Finders made subject to adequate CFE funding. The parties shall establish a Labor Management Committee to discuss the following issues: a) bonuses, including housing bonuses, for shortage license areas; b) a pilot project for school-wide based performance bonuses for sustained growth in student achievement; c) salary differentials at the MA-5 through MA-7 levels; and d) a program for the reduction of class size in all grades and divisions. If the parties agree on the terms of any or all of these issues, they may be implemented by the DOE using whatever funds may be identified.