Big Sky Debate

PURCHASE AND DOWNLOAD RIGHT NOW!! Big Sky Debate is pleased to release its December 2009 Public Forums resources on merit pay for teachers!  The resolution, released by the National Forensics League on November 1, 2009, is:

Resolved: That merit pay based on student achievement should be a significant component of K-12 teacher compensation in United States public schools.

The index for our resources is here and a list of briefs for this book appears below the fold.

While we know our Public Forum resources is a bargain at $12, why not subscribe now for a whole season at just $50?  Compare similar services without Big Sky Debate's seasoned research staff at THREE times that cost!  DON'T JUST PAY FOR BACKFILES!

Have a great month!!  Our Public Forum Resources are an unbeatable $12.00.  Big Sky Debate isn't more expensive, it is simply better.

METADEBATE

• MERIT PAY DEFINED: A TEACHER-CENTERED MODEL
  
• LITTLE CONCLUSIVE RESEARCH EXISTS ON MERIT PAY
  

PRO EVIDENCE

• MERIT PAY GOOD: SHOULD ADOPT A BUSINESS MODEL
  
• MERIT PAY GOOD: PROVIDES PROOF THAT HIGHER SALARIES ARE WORTH IT
  
• MERIT PAY GOOD: TEACHER’S UNIONS CAUSE PROGRAMS TO FAIL, NOT PROGRAM MERIT
  
• MERIT PAY GOOD: STUDIES PROVE EFFECTIVENESS IN RAISING STUDENT OUTCOMES
  
• MERIT PAY GOOD: EVEN IF STUDENT OUTCOMES DON’T IMPROVE, MERIT PAY INCREASES MORALE
  
• MERIT PAY GOOD: STUDENT PERFORMANCE MEASURES ARE ACCURATE
  
• MERIT PAY GOOD: ATTRACTS BETTER TEACHERS TO SCHOOLS
  
• MERIT PAY GOOD: GOOD TEACHERS DESERVE HIGHER SALARIES
  
• TRADITIONAL SALARY SCHEDULES FAIL: DOESN’T ATTRACT QUALITY TEACHERS
  
• TRADITIONAL SALARY SCHEDULES FAIL: DOESN’T REWARD THE BEST TEACHERS
  
• TRADITIONAL SALARY SCHEDULES FAIL: RESEARCH DOESN’T SUPPORT TRADITIONAL SCALES
  
• MERIT PAY SUPPORTED: SCHOOL BOARDS SUPPORT
  
• MERIT PAY SUPPORTED: DISTRICTS MOVING TOWARD MERIT PAY
  
• MERIT PAY SUPPORTED: OBAMA/FEDS SUPPORT
  
• MERIT PAY SUPPORTED: PUBLIC SUPPORTS
  
• A/T: SHOULD BASE MERIT ON EVALUATION
  
• A/T: MERIT PAY EMPIRICALLY FAILS
  

CON EVIDENCE

• MERIT PAY FAILS: MUST STUDY FIRST BEFORE MAKING IT POLICY
  
• MERIT PAY FAILS: PROGRAM SPECIFICS DOOM ITS IMPLEMENTATION
  
• MERIT PAY FAILS: POOR DESIGN MAKES MOST MERIT PAY PROGRAMS FAIL
  
• MERIT PAY FAILS: TOP DOWN DOESN’T WORK; EACH DISTRICT NEEDS TO DEVELOP ITS OWN SYSTEM
  
• MERIT PAY FAILS: NOT ALL TEACHERS JUDGED BY TESTING
  
• MERIT PAY FAILS: PUNISHES TEACHERS FOR UNCONTROLLABLE FACTORS
  
• MERIT PAY FAILS: BREEDS DISTRUST AMONG FACULTY MEMBERS
  
• MERIT PAY FAILS: IMPOSSIBLE TO JUDGE TEACHER QUALITY
  
• MERIT PAY FAILS: MERIT PAY EMPIRICALLY FAILS
  
• MERIT PAY FAILS: GOOD TEACHING NOT IMPACTED BY BONUSES
  
• MERIT PAY FAILS: REWARDS TEACHERS AT ALREADY AFFLUENT SCHOOLS
  
• MERIT PAY FAILS: MODEL ASSUMES UNLIMITED MONEY FOR PAY
  
• MERIT PAY FAILS: LEADS TO CHEATING OR FUDGING OF RESULTS
  
• MERIT PAY FAILS: DECREASES FOCUS ON CHILDREN
  
• MERIT PAY FAILS: HURTS CURRICULUM AND TEACHING
  
• MERIT PAY FAILS: SHOULD ONLY BE CONSIDERED ONE TOOL IN REFORM
  
• MERIT PAY FAILS: RESEARCH SAYS MIXED OR NEGATIVE RESULTS
  
• ALTERNATIVE: MERIT PAY ACCORDING TO EVALUATION/COMPREHENSIVE MEASURES
  
• A/T: SHOULD USE A BUSINESS MODEL IN SCHOOLS