Many of the recommendations in the Governor’s Education Efficiency Audit will likely face opposition from members of the West Virginia Education Association on any road to implementation.
WVEA President Dale Lee was in front of state lawmakers, earlier this week at the State Capitol, to detail the WVEA’s response to the Governor’s Education Efficiency Audit.
After seven public forums on the audit’s proposals last fall, Lee says it’s clear teachers want pay raises for all educators, across the board.
“Until we address salaries as a comprehensive issue, as a whole, then I don’t think we need to be tinkering with just the fringes of it,” Lee said.
The audit recommends merit pay, meaning the salary for a teacher would be determined using evaluation results that could take into account student performance.
“Per person, everyone said they don’t want to set up a system that creates a divisive atmosphere and no one has seen a merit pay system that is fair and equitable yet…..and improves student achievement,” Lee said on Wednesday’s MetroNews Talkline.
He says teachers also oppose differential pay which would allocate higher salaries to teachers who fill more in demand positions.
Lee says teachers are also rejecting a proposals that would give principals more authority to fire and hire teachers, mandate 180 days of instruction and reduce the weight of seniority in hiring decisions.
You can read the WVEA’s full response to the education efficiency audit at www.wvea.org.
Legislation, based on the audit’s recommendations, is expected to come up when the 2013 Regular Legislative Session begins at the State House on Wednesday, February 13th.