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Tuesday, February 22, 2005
More on Teachers, Qualifications and Pay…
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
How do you get nationally certified teachers into the schools that would benefit most from their expertise?
A bill that’s part of Gov. Sonny Perdue’s education package is winding its way through the Legislature. It would provide a financial incentive to highly trained teachers willing to work at schools deemed as “Needs Improvement.”
Any teacher applying for National Board certification after July 2006 would be required to teach in an academically struggling school to collect the 10 percent raise that Georgia provides as reward for attaining national certification. The change would not affect teachers who already have the certification, or teachers who have started the rigorous process.
Georgia has 1,635 National Board certified teachers, but only 289 are teaching in schools identified by the state Department of Education as “needs improvement” under the federal No Child Left Behind Act.
The bill would also allow so-called “master teachers,” a distinction based on criteria to be determined (see yesterday’s Get Schooled post), to qualify for stipends or bonuses if they agree to mentor less experienced colleagues.
My colleague Mary MacDonald is following education issues in the Legislature and will keep us informed. Meanwhile, does this one pass muster with the Get Schooled community?
