"It's a mess. Really."

Posted on Wed, Nov. 29, 2006

State links some teacher bonuses to final exams

BY HANNAH SAMPSON
hsampson@MiamiHerald.com

The Florida Department of Education is trying to make it less complicated for school districts to participate in a program that rewards teachers for student performance.

Since the Special Teachers Are Rewarded program was introduced, instructors have wondered how those who teach subjects not tested by the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test will be measured.

Today, Florida Education Commissioner John Winn said that a slew of final exams for subjects like art and social studies will be made available to districts throughout the state.

Because that's what art students need. More tests!

The Florida Legislature this year set aside $147.5 million for districts around the state to put toward bonuses for the top quarter of the district's teachers.

Broward is set to receive $15 million for the voluntary bonus program, known as STAR, but has not yet submitted a plan, which is due Dec. 31.

IMPASSE IN BROWARD

Earlier this month, the district and the Broward Teachers Union were at an impasse during talks over the plan. Part of the issue was how to assess teachers whose students do not take the FCAT.

Hillsborough County, which has hundreds of end-of-course exams, will manage a clearinghouse of such tests that other districts can use. The district is the only one in the state to have a STAR program approved so far.

The department expects the clearinghouse to be in place by January for districts to use if they choose.

Besides Hillsborough, the Florida Virtual School has said that its end-of-course exams could be used, and department officials said they would welcome other districts' tests as well.

But many districts, including Broward, do not have their own such exams.

Lynn Strong, Broward's associate superintendent for human resources, said the district would be interested in looking at the tests.

''It's a resource that we would want to review,'' she said.

The exams would be available for non-FCAT subjects mostly at the high school level but also for middle school.

. . .

Gary Itzkowitz, field staff representative for the Broward Teachers Union, said problems still abound with the program.

Even with the exams, he said, there are teachers that cannot be measured by tests, like adult education instructors and school psychologists.

''It's a mess. Really,'' Itzkowitz said. ``That's about the best professional way I can describe it.''