Performance Pay - Raising the Status of Teaching

Position Paper

This paper can be downloaded by clicking here (31Kb pdf file).

Preamble:

The introduction of some form of performance pay for teachers is being considered by government in the belief that it will raise the status of teaching and improve student outcomes.

Discussions to date revolve around paying teachers extra based on:

•    Improved student outcomes through standardised testing of some description, and /or;
•    Undertaking additional tasks, and / or;
•    Gaining additional qualifications.

Much of the rationale proposed lacks detail surrounding the process of identification and payment of teachers.

Performance pay in any iteration will not in itself raise the status of teaching. It would be naïve to suggest that this would be the case without a holistic approach to tackling the reduction in public confidence in the entire teaching profession.

Position Statements

AGPPA’s position is that performance pay cannot be based on results from standardised testing. As in international research, this will only lead to teaching to the test to the detriment of other learning areas, fail to have long term effects on student outcomes and fail to raise the status of teaching.

AGPPA supports rewarding good teachers. However, before addressing this, it is important to note that the current level of remuneration of all teachers has a detrimental impact on the numbers of individuals applying to enter and remain in the profession. To raise the status of teaching AGPPA believes:

1.    An immediate and significant salary increase for all teachers regardless of sector is required.
2.    All teachers must have access to appropriate, timely and quality professional development.
3.    All governments and systems should commit to a sustained media campaign to promote the teaching profession within the community.

Recognition of quality teaching performance should not be limited to performance pay only. It is important that a range of initiatives are debated that may have a greater personal development of teachers and therefore impact on student outcomes. These may include:

• Paid study-leave (sabbatical leave).
• Work shadowing in leadership.
• High quality targeted professional learning.