North Carolina owes teachers the full bonuses it promised
Tuesday's No. 2 editorial.
Suppose a teacher promised students a reward for achieving an academic goal, then retracted the prize even though the kids reached their mark.
Pretty lousy teacher, right?
And a terrible lesson for children.
Actually, teachers are the victims rather than the perpetrators of just such an act of duplicity. They were notified last week that bonuses promised under the state’s ABCs testing program will be cut because the legislature didn’t appropriate enough money.
Teachers at schools whose students exceeded expectations on 2008 exams were due $1,500, but that amount will be slashed to $1,053. Bonuses of $750 for meeting expectations will shrink to $527.
Sure, legislators struggled to approve a budget without raising taxes. In addition, more schools posted better scores. The state was obligated to provide more bonuses at a time when less money was available. That prompted the decision to reduce the amount of each bonus.
The state’s solution to its problem was mathematically inevitable but morally indefensible. Promises should be kept, no matter what. It’s not an acceptable excuse to say we can’t afford to pay because the schools did better than anticipated. Legislators should have budgeted for the best so they could pay what was promised.
Instead, leaders in Raleigh have told teachers they don’t value the hard work of education as much as previously professed. It’s not worth $1,500 to exceed established academic goals after all, but only $1,053.
It may be that the bonus plan ought to be reconsidered. The state’s standards keep changing, and it’s questionable whether all teachers have a fair chance to qualify for bonuses.
But the rules for 2008 can’t be changed now. Commitments must be honored and the state should pay up.
Comments (4)
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When you have a budget problem at home, you cut out the goodies. NC has a better system, they cut out the needs, and save the money for the PORK. What amazes me is that the teachers keep voting for this democrats. Could it be that teachers are slow learners, 100 years of dealing with these con artist you think they would learn! Teachers the get the cool aid, your NEA bosses drink the wine, and of course play golf.
Posted on August 12, 2008 9:04 AM
I'm sure that the state political bosses had a much more important use for that money. Fulfilling commitments to teachers is at the bottom of the list.
Typical politicians. Tell you one thing and do another.
Posted on August 12, 2008 1:10 PM
The whole process, from the mysteriously changeable formula used by the state each year to calculate outcomes, to the granting of "bonuses" based upon possibly inaccurate test scores, is smelly. (Yes, the state makes errors in calculating test scores and schools' progress.) Teachers and principals have to be extremely diligent in reviewing the "results" we get from the state. Seeing is NOT always believing.
They can keep the bonus money in its entirety. Teachers deserve better all around.
Posted on August 13, 2008 10:25 PM
I guess we're already seeing how they're planning on cutting corners since they received news the $750 million dollar judgement against them. Teachers work toward this goal and when they meet it, trust me, they have already made plans for the money- whether it will help with cost of living increases, family vacation, or investment. But this is just typical treatment of our educators who are already grossly underpaid. Once again, shame on you Raleigh!
Posted on August 20, 2008 5:03 PM