TU: EduJax: Higher ed in Rick Scott's crosshairs; teachers deal with Florida's new reality

[Patricia M. McBride]

I am pleased to see we are moving away from tenured professors and towards a merit system.  If a professor is very good, like Jerry, he or she should not fear this approach to pay!

 

Submitted by Jeff Reece on August 23, 2011 - 9:06am EduJax  

Gov. Rick Scott continues his march toward education reform, and now he's taking aim at higher education. Scott is reportedly is considering Texas-style reforms for public colleges, such as tying professors' pay to how many students they teach and/or how much research money they pull in. College administrators and professors are anxious about this new turn of events.

Meanwhile, as Florida teachers adjust to the new merit-pay reality, they are starting to feel like they have no control over their livelihoods. Even music teachers may feel the pinch as Florida has commissioned a company to come up with an assessment standard for music education.

And finally, a new study shows that victims of bullying suffer not just physically and emotionally, but academically as well.

HIGHER ED REFORM: "Gov. Rick Scott is exploring dramatic higher-education reforms that are similar to those already under way in Florida's public school districts. Patterned after reforms being championed by Texas Gov. Rick Perry, ... Scott is looking at changing the way professors are paid and moving toward a merit-pay system with limits on tenure." Read more at The Orlando Sentinel.

 

Orlando Sentinel article:  http://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/education/os-scott-higher-e...

TU article:  http://jacksonville.com/opinion/blog/479262/jeff-reece/2011-08-23/e...

[Patricia M. McBride]

Actually, I got bachelors degree at the University of North Florida after we moved here and graduated about 15 years ago. UNF was ranked 3rd in the country for the Transportation and Logistics program I was in ahead of 3 or 4 ivy league schools and had a friend who came here for the criminal justice post graduate course work, because UNF was ranked the TOP school for that graduate program. UNF is also ranked very high for several of its other programs. I don't know how some of the other schools in the state fair, but I can tell you, I had some first rates professors who had some work experience to be admired and credenitals to be admired! One fellow was an officer at the world bank, another one was part of a team from the school that did consulting work in the transportation system, another ran the minerals department for CSX, and on and on.............and the statistics class professor was all over the place and was a regular at British universities as well. He was dynamite (and I never forgot the first day in his class when we didn't even have enough seats in the classroom which he said was not a problem, because as soon as he handed out the syllabus, there would be a line over in the office where people changed classes........he was right........the syllabus was over an inch thick and he also said all homework assignments would be handed in before class the day they were due or you would get an F for the assignment). The next class there were a lot of empty seats, and since I stayed as I knew the class would be a challenge and probably some degree of difficulty.........and it was.  The folks who left wanted a required course.  I was not in the least disappointed :)!

 

I don't know about special education teachers as I would think they would not fit the standard so to speak.  What they do is hard to judge as each set of students would carry a different group of challenges and each person with a learning disability can't be judged up against one in the previous class really.  What one would consider a big difference and real improvement in one student could not really be set as the mark for all students as they would all be different with various levels of challenges.  You are right though, it would be very difficult to determine whether you friend was a really good teacher or not.  I assume since you know her, you probably know if she is dedicated and makes her very best effort.  Teachers that do what you friend does also have finite careers in that type of work usually cause they burn out.  It is very challenging work.

[tamara stephenson]

Just curious how they will assess special education teachers.  My neighbor teaches children who are emotionally and/or mentally disturbed.  Although it is middle school, these kids struggle with the most basic life/learning skills, and her main job is to teach them how to deal with situations involving other students, remaining focused, etc.  And yes, they take the FCAT.  How should she be assessed?  What about the physical education teacher?  Does he get assessed based upon how many overweight kids are in his class?  I think the whole thing is stupid.  And let's screw with higher education even more in this state...our state universities are already gutted; good professors leave for higher paying jobs at universities that actually appreciate them.  If we are supposed to be the mecca for business, who would hire our graduates, move to our school districts, if we are second rate?  So short sighted.  My husband and I are graduates of Florida schools, from elementary through graduate school, and we received good educations for our money.  If I have any say, my kids will not go to college here, and i will encourage them to get the heck out of this state, with the rate things are going.