Alberta's Education Minister mused yesterday about creating a system of 'merit pay' for teachers in Alberta. This is the idea that 'better teachers' who go above and beyond the call of duty to improve student outcomes should be rewarded financially. You can read his comments here.
This move is strongly opposed by the Alberta Teachers Association, since most unions take the view that pay should be based on seniority. At this point, our organization has not taken an official position one way or the other on the concept of merit pay. We recognize the value of rewarding teacher-excellence, but there are some practical challenges associated with measuring the many intangible parts of the contribution a teacher can make to their students’ lives.
What do you think? Please email us to share your opinion on merit pay for teachers.