School reward plan halted by educators
BY BRADLEY "B.J." DAVIS, JR. Gulf Breeze News bjdavis@gulfbreezenews.com

Members of the Santa Rosa Professional Educators (SRPE) say the state-mandated Special Teachers Are Rewarded (STAR) program forgets about the majority of teachers that contribute to the success of the school district while rewarding only the top 25 percent.

"It takes all teachers, working as a team, to help all students reach their full potential. In the STAR Plan Program, we will be leaving out 75 percent of our instructional personnel," said SRPE President Bill Gandy in a statement released on behalf of the organization.

According to STAR Plan guidelines, the best performing 25 percent of elementary, middle and high school personnel are rewarded based on an instructional personnel evaluation of performance of their students. The primary determining factor must be the evaluation of improved student achievement. Each district school board must determine the methods used to evaluate student performance and those methods must measure student performance over the course of the year. Improved student achievement may be measured by

A standardized test (in that content area)

Their students' achievements on a reading or mathematics standardized test

Instruments that measure the science or social science for that area that includes challenging grade-level content and critical thinking skills

Last year, the Florida Department of Education (DOE) implemented a plan setting aside $147.5 million to be distributed to districts for performance pay awards to instructional personnel. Santa Rosa's cut is a little over $1.25 million, but District officials say since not all 67 Florida districts are participating, the remaining money will be put back into the pot and redistributed among the districts. The reward consists of a bonus of at least five percent of the base pay rate per teacher within the top 25 percent.

"We were able to go beyond that if more money was allocated to it," said Assistant Superintendent Tim Wyrosdick. "If more money is allocated we would award money all the way down until zero percent as long as money allows. It's going to continue down, and realistically, we could probably award teachers as lows the bottom 25 percent," Wyrosdick said.

According to DOE's STAR overview, the deadline for submitting a comprehensive STAR Plan to the State Board for approval was Dec. 31, 2006. March 1 will be the deadline for submitting a revised STAR Plan if the State Board determined revisions. The District committee who developed the plan consisted of 14 members that included educators, administrators and other District personnel.

Gandy added that Senator Don Gaetz, Chair-Committee on Education Pre-K-12 requested that Chancellor Pierson Yecke appear before the Senate Committee to discuss implementation of STAR. Gaetz stated, "that there are substantial concerns about STAR," according to Gandy.

Gandy expressed concern that the STAR program will affect potential and current employment habits of educators.

"Performance paid programs aren't a fix for attracting new teachers or retaining current ones," he said. "It's a one-time shot that's going to also create a division with teachers." Gandy explained the fear that if a teacher is awarded with STAR, parents will request that teacher the following year further creating that division between equally trained educators.

"The overall academic level of the classroom could be a determining factor in gains made over the course of the school year," said Kelly Rohan, Holley-Navarre Intermediate fifth grader teacher. "Some teachers feel that this system will pit one teacher against another instead of all of our working to achieve the ultimate goal of an 'A' school rating."

These concerns have ultimately brought SRPE ratification of STAR to a halt until the group's bargaining team approves the plan.

"In negotiations, Santa Rosa Professional Educators reviewed the current STAR Performance Pay proposal and has made no recommendations or entertained any changes," said Wyrosdick. "No tentative agreement was made by the SRPE bargaining team. The proposed STAR Performance Pay Plan, by SRPE's instructions, will not be voted on for ratification. The Santa Rosa District School Board understands and appreciates the value of the STAR Performance Pay proposal. In light of the position of SRPE, the School Board has discontinued preparations for implementation." Wyrosdick further explained that if ratified by the SRPE, the School Board stands ready to approve and submit the proposed plan for DOE approval and receipt of the $1,259,748 allocated for Santa Rosa County District teachers.