One of the key parts of the Obama-Duncan approach to education form is the implementation of merit pay for teachers. Perhaps in light of the release of a new study by the Economic Policy Institute, the administration can persuaded not to go down this track. Perhaps the train has already left the station. In case it has not, I think I should draw your attention to this report.
Education Week, the most important publication for staying current on educational matters, posted today a piece entitled Report Points to Risks of Merit Pay for Teachers, of which the opening paragraph reads
Merit-pay plans for teachers may be growing more popular with politicians, but a report released today argues that such compensation plans are rarely used in the private sector and can sometimes bring about unintended negative consequences.
The report is a book entitled Teachers, Performance Pay, and Accountability -- What Education Should Learn From Other Sectors. I will explore a bit of the Ed Week article, and the material online from the book, and offer a few thoughts of my own.