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In Florida, When Student Test Scores Rise, It's Money In Teachers' Pockets

Ohanian Comment: Setting up a reward system wherein test score bonuses go into teachers' pockets is a sure way to keep classrooms focused on test prep. It's ugly and it's immoral.

Teachers in Southwest Florida are awarding themselves record bonuses this year under a state rewards program that gives money to schools whose students perform well on a state test.

The latest annual payout reflects a five-year trend that has transformed the Florida School Recognition Program into a jackpot for teachers and other school employees.

Although the recognition program was designed to pay for computers, textbooks, remedial programs and other educational expenditures, little of the reward money now gets spent on such items.

Instead, teachers stand to get bonus checks that can reach $2,000 or more, an amount that will dwarf many teachers' annual pay raises this year.

Charlotte, Manatee and Sarasota counties will spend 85 percent of their $5.1 million on staff bonuses. Over the previous years of the program, they spent about 70 percent on bonuses.

The percentage of money going to bonuses in Charlotte County is slightly less than in previous years. But the dollar amount steadily has increased as more schools have qualified for the reward through improved or high scores on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test.

After school employees take their cut, the three districts will have about $815,000 for other uses. That includes $165,000 to be spent by Sarasota's Pine View School for the Gifted, the only school that didn't spend its reward money on bonuses.

Those who support spending the money on bonuses argue that teachers are underpaid, are working harder to meet the demands of the FCAT and often spend their own time and money to enhance their classrooms.

Meanwhile, many parents argue that the money would be better spent on textbooks and new programs that help kids learn. They complain that they, too, spend money on extras, like fund-raisers for new programs and field trips.

For example, Ashton Elementary staff will get 80 percent of the school's $128,000 reward money, with the remainder going to the school.

Shortly after the Sarasota school made that announcement, the school asked parents to pitch in for a $100,000 fund-raiser to pay for a new science lab.

"Of course it's frustrating to see the money not go toward clearly identified needs of the school and constantly have the school come begging for money," said Ashton mother Jennifer Singer, who plans to donate to the science lab.

Singer said she believes some of the money should go to teachers. But she would prefer a more equitable split.

Though frustrating for some parents, the trend toward bonuses likely will please lawmakers, who have sent the message that this year's $137.5 million in School Recognition money is best spent on salary boosts. Last year, they passed a law that required the money to go to teacher bonuses if parents and teachers couldn't agree how to spend it by Nov. 1.

In theory, teachers and parents get to decide together how the money is spent in three categories: staff bonuses, educational equipment and supplies and hiring new staff for educational purposes.

The School Advisory Council, made up of school staff and parents, votes on how to spend the money. That agreement then must be approved by a vote from the school's staff.

But after years of seeing parents and teachers bicker for months about how much should go to bonuses and how much should go to the school, lawmakers added the Nov. 1 deadline.

Parents feared that the new law would strip them of their voice on the SAC. They reasoned that if the teachers insisted on getting all of the reward as a bonus, they'd get their way by stalling negotiations until the deadline.

The Herald-Tribune found no examples of that, but Manatee Education Association President Pat Barber said the new law undoubtedly led to more going to bonuses. In addition, teachers' fears that tight budgets won't leave room for raises may have led teachers to squeeze more money from the program, she said.

"There are very limited funds, and people are left to fight over what is there," the union president said.

This year, nearly a third of the 59 Southwest Florida schools that earned the award will spend all of the money on bonuses. Charlotte will spend 92 percent of its reward on bonuses, Manatee will spend 91 percent and Sarasota, 78 percent.

Even so, many schools found a way to give bonuses and set aside money for programs and supplies:

Sarasota County's Brentwood Elementary set aside $58,000, 64 percent of its award, for materials and supplies.

Vineland Elementary in Charlotte plans to spend about $16,000, or 21 percent, on classroom materials and a book fair.

Blackburn Elementary in Manatee will pay almost $14,000, 15 percent, for after-school tutoring.

Some schools feel strongly that some of the money should go to educational improvements.

At Manatee School for the Arts, a charter school, half of the money will go to bonuses and half to the school. Some teachers argued that even more of the money should have gone for educational equipment, Principal Bill Jones said.

"Sure, the faculty and staff have a huge impact, but we still need to put money into programs that absolutely, directly, benefit these kids," Jones said. "There was almost no discussion of giving it all to bonuses."




— Christ Davis and Matthew Doig

2003-11-02
http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20031102/NEWS/311020435/1060

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