Weed out under-performing teachers with value-added pay plan

YORK DISPATCH

The Pennsylvania State Education Association opposes paying teachers on performance and school choice, preferring to pay teachers on longevity and degrees earned so that poor teachers can earn the same as good teachers. Also, the PSEA does not want to allow parents to place their child in a better school.
These two positions have resulted in hurting public education and making school taxes increase each year three times faster than inflation. In a nutshell, we are spending more to learn less. Consequently, our public schools are not competitive in student achievement and cost per student.
Why do we citizens put up with such outrageous positions? It must be because we haven't taken the time to get involved and understand two proven facts. Choice improves student achievement in all public schools. Paying teachers more based on longevity and degrees has not improved student achievement -- it has actually declined.............MORE
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