Still waiting

Sen. Stephen Wise (left) told lobbyists for the Florida Education Association and the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards that he'd quickly get with them to see if they couldn't work out some agreement over funding bonuses for National Board-certified teachers.

Wise had just won unanimous approval for a bill (SB 1746) that would cut - some would say gut - the budget for the 10-year-old program that rewards teachers who successfully complete a rigorous national certification process.

A week later, the teachers' representatives were still waiting.

"I have not heard from Senator Wise," said National Board lobbyist Mac Stipanovich (right), who added that he has left messages indicating that his is standing by "to work out the solution that (Wise) suggested is in the offing."

Stipanovich noted the bill and its House counterpart (HB 5083) head to their respective floors Wednesday with enough substantial differences between them that they'll need to go to conference if they pass. He held out hope that enough time remains to find a remedy for "this injustice and bad public policy."

FEA spokesman Mark Pudlow said he understood that some changes might emerge during floor debate. Already, Wise has submitted an amendment that would, among other things, allow school districts to pay for the fees that the state would stop covering. (An interesting answer during a time when pending budget cuts are forcing districts to consider layoffs.)

Pudlow, like Stipanovich, figured it would take negotiations between the two bodies before any agreement arises. Both lobbyists looked forward to a positive (for teachers) outcome.

"It would be a tragedy if the only teacher merit pay plan I have ever seen work ... were terminated," Stipanovich said.

Comments

[Julie]

Why can't these legislators fight just to keep the present teachers in the state of florida employed, not to worry about bonuses, but to just maintain employment.

[mady]

The proponents of merit pay like to believe that the teacher unions are against merit pay so when the union actually supports a merit plan it frizzles their brains and they can't think straight. Why does FEA support NB? Because teachers are evaluated by people who don't know them and have no ax to grind or brownie points to gain. Teachers are evaluated on a portfolio that includes videotape of them teaching. The rubric requires they address different learning needs, show positive interactions with students, and demonstrate evidence of their impact on student achievement.

Maintaining bonuses for those who have already done the work is fair for those who went through the work based upon the rules at that time, but keeping the door open for future applicants is less about what is good for teachers and more about what is good for the program operators (NBPTS and FEA's national affiliates).

Careful terminator, it wasn't Betty Castor that cooked up the program (she took over its leadership after Frank Brogan, Jim Horne and Dale Hickum with the FEA got the program started in Florida). Don't you work for the FEA? Do you have any responsibility to support the issues raised and ratified by your membership?

As to the FEA and others waiting to hear from Wise, I think they know where his office is located. I would suggest that they take a walk over there to talk about it soon.

[terminator]

fujitraveler:
isn't that how the rest of the teachers are being measured (FCAT)?
NB is simply an entitlement program cooked up by Betty Castor to enrich herself.
Wise would be "wise" to trim the program back.

[fujitraveler]

We will make extra notice of board -certified doctors and lawyers. But now that the teaching PROFESSION has a board certification process, its a gravy train that has run its course? Check out www.nbpts.org for many correlation studies. Yes, these studies have been organized by National Board. But check out the 1 study that the Florida Legislature is sighting. It only focuses on FCAT. FCAT is a crap shoot; a one moment in time, not an overall picture of the effects the teacher has on the student. National Board Teachers, like board certified attorneys and doctors, have made an extra commitment to their profession and should be rewarded and commended for such.

[terminator]

National Board Certification has run its course and needs to die a peaceful death.
There are no empirical studies out there that show any kind of correlation between those who achieved it, those who didn't and test scores (FCAT) of those students taught by NBC instructors.
Allow Termie to take Mac to the woodshed on public education issues which Mac is ill trained to lobby on behalf of.
National Board was a bill of goods sold to the state of Florida by former Ed Commissioner Betty Castor who then proceeded to go to work for National Board and make a boat load of money selling the program to any state that would buy into it.
The NBC bunch have milked the cow for all they could get. Now it's time to give up the gravy train and stop your whining.
Mac, stick to political issues and the things you know best. Even Chuck's friendship isn't going to save National Board.

Notice all the MEN mentioned above are pretending to fight for WOMEN'S salaries.

What a joke.

Silly boys, a woman's work has value too!