About time for some education overhaul

In our state capitol, Gov. Mitch Daniels and the Republican majorities in both houses of the legislature have taken up education reform for Indiana’s schools. As I have sat by and watched, there are certain things I like and certain things I do not.

For starters, to deny that education across our country has been falling would be naïve. Last December, the United States ranked 14 of the 34 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries surveyed in their ‘Program for International Student Assessment.’ The OECD is an organization of states of the most industrialized economies in the world.

In my own view, to remedy the problem, we need a massive overhaul of how we recruit the best teachers. I am particularly fond of Singapore’s and Britain’s models — attracting the best talent into the classrooms. From what I have gathered from natives of both countries, teaching is among the most respected and coveted professions of college graduates. Competition for these jobs is intense, and each applicant goes through a rigorous review process.

These two countries also seem to have something completely different than we do — teaching is something students are incentivized to pursue. To attract the best talent, their teachers are paid above the average annual salary of a worker in the respective country.

However, here in Indiana for example, teacher’s salaries are set by an archaic system based upon degrees completed and years served. The million dollar question is why on earth  high-performing students would want to pursue a career in education when they can earn a lot more in the private sector.

I happen to be one of those who had a dream once upon a time to go into education, and someday I may very well do that. But for now, until there is an incentive to provide a decent wage to survive on after a potential teacher graduates, the current system will continue to distance much of the exceptional talent from this noble profession.

This article is in no way intended to cast doubt on the millions of great educators across our country who make their living at teaching. There are countless educators who do it for more than the dollar. But the market aspect remains clear: You have to pay teachers much better if you want to attract the talent.

With that said, for the number of great educators in the system, there are a large number that probably need to find a more suitable career. That is why I applaud our state legislature for discussing an end to the archaic system of paying teachers based upon number of degrees and years served.

There is absolutely zero empirical data to show the relationship between student performance in the classroom and these old metrics of measuring a teacher’s salary.

I think it is also finally time for a candid discussion about abolishing the tenure system in our state. In my experience, this system only seems to promote complacency and a lack of initiative to do better.

My rationale is the best job protection for educators is continued student performance.

Instead of casting blame at the current education system and those in it, we should cast doubt toward the halls of our legislatures for bad policy. For too long our politicians have ignored improving the recruitment and retention policies of our educators.

Politics aside, both parties are to blame for the problem. The unfunded mandate of No Child Left Behind was a product of now-deceased Democratic Sen. Ted Kennedy signed into law under then-President George Bush.

I think it is about time for our leaders to come together, put away the partisan bickering and yes, ignore the calls of both the teachers unions and the school-choice advocates.

It is about time to come up with some common-sense solutions that will make America’s primary education the beacon for the world once again.

­— cjcaudil@indiana.edu