Senate Bill 6 rewards great teachers with higher salariesBy Jeb Bush, Thursday, April 15, 2010
...Senate Bill 6, which has been passed by the Florida Legislature and is on the desk of Gov. Charlie Crist, will incentivize and reward excellence in teaching. The centerpiece of the legislation — tying teacher salaries to individual student progress — is based on the fundamental belief that all students can learn. Scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress, a test given to students across the nation, prove it. ...
...SB 6 will make learning a measure of effective teaching and will reward teachers whose students make progress. Because some students start the school year below grade level, teachers will not be measured on what their students know. Rather, teachers will be measured on how much each individual student learns during the year in their class. Students will not be compared with each other, only to their own progress from one year to the next. Moreover, the bill requires even higher salaries for truly exceptional teachers who help their students make up for lost ground.
The bill ends tenure for new teachers, starting in July of this year. Teachers who have tenure keep it but also benefit from these higher salaries.
This reform also tackles two specific challenges: preparing students for the jobs of the 21st century economy and closing the achievement gap, once and for all.
Blah blah blah, yadda yadda,,,this guy is so in love with his own almighty opinion he should marry it already. You can read the rest here, if you can stomach it: http://www.tampabay.com/opinion/columns/senate-bill-6-rewards-great-teachers-with-higher-salaries/1087443