Education Reform and Why Teacher Incentive Pay Won't Work

In 1966 the Coleman Report, a massive study to identify the sources of educational performance, was commissioned by U.S. Department of Health, Education & Welfare. Findings showed that Family & Peers has a much greater impact on educational outcomes than inputs from Public Policy such as teacher salaries, class sizes and spending on facilities. [i] Subsequent research, to date, still strongly supports the findings of the Coleman Report, so why do we keep poking around at issues like incentive pay for teachers, facility parity, etc when we know success in education outcomes is rooted in the values instilled by our families, peers and other role models?

The idea of “Incentive Pay” for teachers is a flawed concept. Incentive pay cannot work for teachers, just like it can’t work for nurses. We expect every patient and student to receive the services they need to have a successful outcome. The nurse, or teacher, cannot pick which patients, or students, to provide service to (like private sector can). Also, we don’t expect these professionals to withhold resources, even if they know the patient, or student will never function at a high level after care.

Rather than Incentive Pay to provide for the best teacher performance, you need to eliminate tenure tracks so the burnt out, consistently ineffective teachers are removed (like in private sector jobs) and new teachers can assume these positions.

In conclusion, our society continues to look to blame someone other than ourselves for causes of a variety of issues. Back in the day, a child was educated with a balanced, three-pronged approach that consisted of Family (with even fathers living in the same home), School and Church. These three aspects provided for a well rounded, member of a community that valued human relationships. Now, as society suffers from a continued disruption of Family Structure and the decline of seeking religion for help in teaching spiritual and moral guidance, we look to our government (and schools) to handle what the family cannot, or chooses not to, teach. Families need to understand the importance of their role in student and school success. If they are not going to put in their effort, any school, and the students will suffer. Student success does not just mean throwing money at any situation. The expense of “Effort” is much more valuable in this equation than merely money…
[i]
Fukuyama, F. (2000). The Great Disruption, Human Nature and the Reconstitution of Social Order. New York: Touchstone.