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Professional Development and Other Ways for Legislators to Spend DeSantis’ $603 Million for Teacher Compensation

ByAccountabaloney

TAKE HOMEPOINTS from SENATE ED 10/14/19:

  1. The Senate Education Committee is asking for feedback regarding improving professional development for teachers. If you have concerns regarding state mandated professional development NOW would be an excellent time to call your legislators.
  2. Senate Ed Chair Manny Diaz Jr. would like to tie a portion of teacher compensation to performance on professional development; perhaps, creating the designation of “Master Teacher.” He, and his committee, should be reminded that such a designation already exists for K-12 educators and is called “National Board Certification.”
  3. Senator Simmons wonders if teachers could be required to work an additional 30 minutes each day in order to qualify for DeSantis’ new teacher compensation scheme.
  4. When it comes to teacher compensation, Chair Diaz doesn’t want to be in the position “where we’re just throwing money at a problem.”

At Monday’s Senate Education Committee meeting the only topic on the agenda was “Educator Professional Development,” but Governor DeSantis’ recent $603 million announcement regarding teacher compensation was clearly on everybody’s mind. You can watch the 10/14/19 meeting here.

After a Department of Education presentation, “Overview of Educator Professional Development” (you can view the Powerpoint here), a panel of superintendents (from Clay, Pinellas and Walton) discussed current issues with compliance and professional development. Common themes were lack of funding, lack of time and districts’ desire for a balance of guidance from the state and flexibility at the local level. Pinellas Superintendent, Michael Grego, described an experienced teacher with fantastic student reading scores who is required to obtain a state-mandated Reading Endorsement, despite having demonstrated excellence in the classroom. He described her obtainment of the Reading Endorsement as purely a compliance issue.

Chair Manny Diaz Jr. asked superintendents, teachers and other stakeholders to provide the Legislature feedback regarding improving professional development for teachers. He suggested pilot programs might be developed. He seemed to especially have concerns regarding teachers that are coming in through alternative certification. “How do we make them better teachers?” he asked.

Legislators asking for “feedback” during committee weeks is a sure sign they already have bills being drafted. If you have concerns regarding state mandated professional development NOW would be an excellent time to call your legislators.

Senator Simmons, thinking about the Governor’s $603 million teacher compensation announcement, wondered if teachers could be asked to work an additional 30 minutes each day, to qualify for the increase in compensation. (You can see his discussion at ~1:22:20.) Remember, Senator Simmons was the legislator behind the extra hour of reading instruction required at each of the 300 Lowest Performing Elementary Schools. Senator Simmons claims he got the idea for lengthening the school day at low performing schools when a principal from a struggling Orlando school said “If I just had more time with these children, I could make a big, big difference with them.”

After the meeting, the press peppered Chair Diaz with questions regarding Governor DeSantis’ $603 million teacher compensation plan. You should watch the discussion here. Diaz reminded the press that “the devil’s in the details”: appropriations committees will make the decisions determining how much funding will be available for teacher compensation and, if funding is available, then policy committees will need to address the issue of proper teacher compensation. He said, when it comes to teacher compensation, “everything” would need to be on the table: Best and Brightest bonuses, teacher evaluation, professional development, etc..

Chair Diaz gave specific suggestions as to how teacher compensation could be tied to professional development:

“The other thing I think is a sleeper inside all of this is what we talked about today, which is professional development… do you tie some of this pay to performance on professional development, like they do in other countries?  Can someone become a “Master Teacher,” not just a master’s degree but a “Master Teacher,” meaning that they have achieved these points and then we’re not just looking at test scores but also the abilities the teacher has acquired…”

For the record, Florida used to compensate teachers who achieved National Board Certification. There is no reason for Florida to reinvent this wheel. National Board certification is the most respected professional certification available in K-12 education. According to their website, National Board Certification was designed to develop, retain and recognize accomplished teachers and to generate ongoing improvement in schools nationwide. Current National Board Certified Teachers should educate Chair Diaz and his committee about their certification and how it could be used to identify “Master Teachers.”

Diaz reminded the reporters that “we don’t have an unlimited pot of money” and he wants to ensure that, “when the appropriations decisions are made and if we embark on this road,” decisions are made where they will have the most impact; specifically, keeping quality teachers in the classroom. Though he insisted legislators, “across the board,” all feel they need to reward or compensate teachers properly, he suggested any increased compensation needed to reflect measurable teacher quality, because “we don’t want to be in the position where we’re just throwing money at a problem.”

Hmmm, is Senator Diaz implying that raising the minimum teacher salary in Florida to $47,500 is “just throwing money at a problem?” We wonder if he has discussed that with Governor DeSantis?

What we DO know is teacher compensation will be part of a major conversation in Tallahassee this session. Senator Diaz is asking for input and NOW is an excellent time to contact the Senate Education Committee and provide stakeholder feedback. Call or write them today.

Senate Education Committee Members:

Chair:
Senator Manny Diaz, Jr. (R)
Vice Chair:
Senator Bill Montford (D)

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74 Comments

  1. Why does it seem as if the state feels teachers need to jump through more hoops in order to “earn” enough money to live? How about…. we already go above and beyond and should get paid accordingly? It’s bad enough the state is asking teachers to being reading endorsed. Is the state paying for the classes? Once we have our endorsement will we get paid more? Education has become a job not a career. Teachers with 20 or more years are being pushed out, younger teachers will only last a few years. All part of a master plan to not to have to pay teachers. So sad for our children.

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