Teacher Merit Pay Initiative Qualifies For Ballot

BALLOT MEASURES  EDUCATION  ELECTIONS 

By Chris Lehman

Salem, OR  July 22, 2008 11:53 a.m.

Oregonians will be voting this fall on a proposal to pay teachers based on how well they do their job.

The Secretary of State’s office announced Tuesday an initiative petition had enough valid signatures to make it on the ballot.  Salem Correspondent Chris Lehman reports.

The proposal is to hand out raises to teachers based on their job performance, not seniority.  

The measure doesn’t specify how that performance will be judged, or who gets to decide.

Education advocacy groups are lining up in opposition to the proposal.

It’s the brainchild of conservative Oregon political activist Bill Sizemore.  Sizemore says it’s no secret that some teachers are much better than others.

Bill Sizemore:  “Most of us do know who the good teachers are in our schools. And most of us know who the bad ones are.  And yet we’re pretending like we can’t tell that when it comes time to give pay raises and reward good performance.”

The merit pay proposal brings the total number of measures on this year’s Oregon ballot to twelve.

Washington voters will decide on at least one measure, with state officials counting signatures for two others.

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© 2008 OPB