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Ohio Bucks Merit Pay for Teachers

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    System slashed by senate

  • Duration 4:10
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Thanks Brian a lawmakers in the state of Ohio at odds over the future of education.

The states House of Representatives.

Passed measures to create a merit based pay system.

That would reward good teachers and protect the good teachers when budget cuts demanded that layoffs.

But the state senate stripped those provisions forcing school districts to consider seniority.

Only.

So what does this mean for kids in Ohio former DC schools chancellor Michelle Rhee is -- founder of students first.

James to defend the interest of children in public education she joins us from DC good morning to you Michelle.

Okay so in Ohio.

The house along with the governor Jon -- they'd come up with this thing.

Where if you do it it wouldn't be based on seniority anymore they'll blast fire -- last hired first fired anything thing.

They were making real progress and now it's been snatched out of -- by the senate you gotta be disappointed.

Well actually think that that the -- legislature is going to be able to work this out there is a tremendous amount of support.

For the concept of looking at quality instead of seniority as a pertains to layoffs and people across.

The state of Ohio including teachers and parents are speaking out in favor of this they know that the most important thing for kids is to have a great teacher in front of them.

And so I haven't a lot of faith that they're going to be able to work this out so when they talk about making it mirrored performance based what would that mean.

That means that we are going to make decisions in the unfortunate cases of love of a school district having to -- teachers often we're going to be making those decisions based on quality so looking at -- valuations how effective are the teachers with their students and ensuring that we're saving the great teachers.

Well let's what we all want especially during these tough times.

-- let me ask you this what states are making headway in in making sure that the best teachers are in front of our kids.

What we are thrilled because this year we've been working with -- across the nation and many of them have repealed their last in first out.

Policies so Florida was one of the first to do so Indiana.

And Tennessee followed suit recently Nevada did so and what we feel really good about is the fact that this is being done in a bipartisan way so in Nevada there's democratic legislature.

Cooperated with the Republican governor Brian cent of all there to get the job done so increasingly I think that there is.

A real understanding from both sides of the party line that this is a policy that is not good for kids -- and really needs to be looked at.

You know what have you noticed that the it feels like in this country we've kind of reached a tipping point where people are realizing hey wait a minute.

We don't have to do it that way if a teacher is good and got hired fifteen seconds ago we should be able to keep them.

In -- of somebody who maybe has been there for awhile.

And is not performing in front of our children or somebody who was has hired and you know isn't doing well if things are changing -- -- Things are definitely changing and the -- last in first out policies have been sitting on the books -- states for 3030 some odd years and we have seen a tremendous sea change so just indeed in December when I started students first there were only three states that mandated that layoffs be done by -- instead of seniority our goal of students first was to increase that number -- at least nine.

We're already there we've got states like Michigan who are looking at it -- next weekend and will we look forward to passing legislation in that state next week so we're -- actually exceeding that golf and I think -- because parents and and teachers are speaking up and saying you know what that policy doesn't make sense for us as teachers -- this -- it doesn't make sense for kids and schools and so because they're speaking up to their politicians and saying you gotta change these -- I think it's making a difference.

And one other note about teachers in the state of New Jersey teachers along with other state employees.

Are going to have to start paying for a portion of their health care and make a bigger contribution to their pensions as well.

I gonna build -- just waiting for Chris Christie to sign intrigued all right Michelle Rhee also pleasure thank you very much for joining us today thank you -- a dozen.

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