Week 7 Discussion 2 – Putting Schools in Charge

Access and read the article below by Dr. John Katzman.

The chapter presents a detailed account of teacher compensation as we know it in most districts and states. Dr. Katzman, in his article, “Restructure to Reform,” discusses some different ideas on teacher compensation. He says in part that “although our ultimate goal is a system of schooling that naturally evolves and improves, it’s important to keep in mind that the capacity for experimenting and innovating resides in individual schools, not in central offices.” Under the heading, “Offer Teachers a New Deal,” he explains that “the problem isn’t the total compensation; if anything, teachers are underpaid. It’s the structure of that compensation…” He also makes some suggestions for teacher evaluation under his reformation.

• How would teacher contracts and compensation change if Dr. Katzman’s ideas were to come to fruition?
• What might be some positive outcomes of empowering schools to be in charge of their own monetary resources?
• What could be the down side to such a plan?

Your initial responses are due by 11:55 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday and should be between 200-250 words. The initial posting should be a statement of your point of view on the question, supported by the required readings.