National Board Certified teachers: Pay raises were promised
Is it fair?
The state is cutting the legislated bonuses awarded to teachers who earn a national board certified teacher endorsement.
In 1999 at the urging of Gov. Roy Barnes, the Georgia Legislature passed a law giving a 10 percent raise to teachers who earn national certification. The national board certification program is run by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and offers a certification that one local teacher once called “the Oscars of teaching.”
From the start, critics said the raises were too generous. The pay boost inspired many teachers to seek the coveted designation. Now, more than 2,500 Georgia teachers get a 10 percent salary bonus from the state because they became board certified.
This costs about $12 million a year but the state is now slashing the bonuses, which will lead to pay drops of at least $3,000 to $4,000 this year for the teachers. The decision has angered the teachers who feel misled.
Among the comments from affected teachers was this one:
“Count me in as one of the many who are deeply disappointed by the outcome of this legislative session. Those of us who are National Board Certified Teachers got the shaft. Because the Senate Republicans refused to fully fund us– despite the House’s recommendation to do so– each of the state’s approximately 2500 NBCT’s will see a reduction in pay of at least $300 per paycheck beginning with the new school year .
Now, it’s common knowledge that educators don’t make that much in the first place; for many of us, $300 is the car payment, groceries, or day care bill for the month. Losing this pay will be a true hardship. How can it possibly be fair to balance the education budget on the backs of two percent of the state’s teachers?
Here’s an idea: Instead of taking $300 a month from 2500 of us, subtract a measly $10 per month from the paycheck of each of Georgia’s 116,811 K-12 teachers. (I may be wrong, but I don’t think such a move would spark any big protests.) This simple action would generate a tidy $14,016,000. Problem solved.”
I don’t know. Would other teachers accept the $10 cut, as small as it might be? What do you think?
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66 comments Add your comment
K-12 National Board Certified Teacher
September 30th, 2009
4:45 am
I am gravely disappointed to be informed that I will indeed not be receiving my hard-earned National Board Certification for Teachers salary this year, even though it was passed in the Legislature. So far, my salary is being cut by 13%, and I understand more cuts are forthcoming.
Teachers are working harder than ever with classes that are too crowded. Classrooms are filled with more children than they were built to hold. Tensions rise when people don’t have enough space to move in. Illness will be on the rise with not enough percentage of air to breathe. We already have more cases of H1N1 flu. I am personally in the process of purchasing a total air purifier for my music classroom so that my students and I can live in cleaner air all year. That is an expense of several hundred dollars plus with the purchase of filter modules that have to be replaced annually. I teach everyone in the school. I am doing this for the health of all.
All of this makes me even madder over the hundreds of thousands of dollars* in bonuses being loaded into the coffers of USG college presidents and chancellors to support their vacation homes, travel (not necessarily professional) and in whatever other ways they choose to be extravagant. When I go to any professional meetings, all but $100 of that comes out of my pocket. At the Georgia Music Educators Association In-Service Conference in Savannah each year I am also prone to spend another $300-400 on instruments and educational supplies for my 680 students to extend their learning in my music classes. I see things they need and I get them, even when it makes things financially tight for me.
I am positive there are many pork barrel funds oozing out of our state treasury that are taking away from our public school children and their teachers, the backbone of building this young citizenry. I am devastated to have worked so hard and spent so much of my own money in the process, only to have the monetary rewards taken away. I will only rest my case when the due is paid.
* Now calculated to be in the millions of dollars!
Pee Cup Jones
September 30th, 2009
7:28 am
SCT—No thanks, then I would start whining just like her–two whiners in the house would drive the dogs nuts.
PCJ
jim d
September 30th, 2009
11:00 am
Dr. John,
Your silence on this issue is deafening.
Mr. Practical
September 30th, 2009
1:07 pm
The headline unemployment rate–U1–in Georgia is 10.2%. The more realistic measurement–U6–is 17%.
If you are a teacher, ask you substitute teacher coordinator about the number and the quality of the applicant pool today compared to prior years. It will break your heart.
MP
Polly
October 1st, 2009
7:16 pm
Enter your comments here
Seems a bit discriminatory to me. Why punish one certification over another. Cut a small percent from all supplemental pay; six year, masters, phd……
Tammy Kothe
October 1st, 2009
8:28 pm
It stinks!!! I have my masters, specialist, and national board certification. The national board certification was the most difficult thing I have EVER done – it was like academic boot camp. People dropped out like flies. The 10% pay raise was the one reason I stayed motivated to stay with it and finish. Our county has furloghed us three days, cut a county supplement, and with my national board pay cut – I am making $7,900 less this year. Rumor has it that they will be furloughing us additional days in January. I understand the economy is terrible, but this is too much for one person. I agree with the posst above – cut a little from each degree or something. (my masters and specialist degree was NOTHING compared to national board!) I know we had people fighting hard for us; I wish there could have been a better answer. From what I have heard, the governor wants to give bonuses to the “Master Teachers” because that is his baby. Regardless, we have been treated unfairly and I do not appreciate it one bit!
K12 NBCT
October 1st, 2009
10:56 pm
If there isn’t money to pay what had been promised to the NBCTs, then why did the Governor promise bonuses for science and Special Ed teachers? And weren’t the NBCTs promised money BEFORE Sonny dreamed up the “Masters” program? Seems like they keep changing the rules after the game has started. I’ll stop whining when those two programs are also cut or eliminated.
sam
October 2nd, 2009
6:34 am
The worst part of the loss of the bonus is that we were told it was approved during the legislative session last spring. As we returned to pre-planning in August, no mention was made from HR regarding a change in our salary other than the 2% pay cut that all district employees were facing which was approved when the budget was approved in June. The district NBCTs received a letter stating that we would not get our bonus at this time 3 days before our August paycheck. Most people budget their expenses and plan for rainy days but not at the expense of a 12% pay cut which should have been told to us three weeks before the first paycheck and for those of us who are married to another NBCT, make that a 24% paycut for our household income. Lastly, we have also been victims of the horrible flood. I don’t know how much more we can take!
E
October 11th, 2009
7:38 am
Enter your comments here
E
October 11th, 2009
7:43 am
It is unfortunate that the government is taking away the increase promised to the NBC teachers. Many of those teachers are exceptional; however, many do absolutely nothing. As a previous public school teacher working alongside a NBC teacher, I watched for years as he taught about 10 minutes out of 80. The kids spent the rest of the time doing busywork or watching movies. They complained that they never did any writing or learned anything. Now, this is one person, but there are probably more of them out there. Until the raise can be tied to performance, and I’m not just talking about test scores, than I think it is pointless to continue to argue about it. It was a voluntary decision.
Christina
October 11th, 2009
8:46 am
I hope people realize the work that goes into NBC, it is a 400 hour process. If you do all that work, to make yourself a better teacher, and then are told oh good job. What a reward. Obviously we need to positively reinforce those who are working hard. We need to stop rewarding people for now working and start rewarding those who are working to turn our world around. Where I live I make 32,000 a year, get zero planning time and work prob. 60 hours a week. I am entering the NBC process in hopes of getting 3,000 more a year. I surely hope that after all that work I get it.
first year fairytale
November 29th, 2009
5:19 pm
Enter your comments here
first year fairytale
November 29th, 2009
5:23 pm
If you really love teaching, you would do it for FREE! We should be more grateful for what we already have. You know you did not go into this career for the money! AND YOU CHOSE THIS JOB! It is not like anyone is forcing any of us to stay in this field. If you don’t like it, please leave and stop complaining. Those who waste their time complaining are bringing down the rest of us. Stay positive and be content with what you have. . .which is more than enough!
first year fairytale
November 29th, 2009
5:26 pm
If you really love teaching, you would do it for FREE! I would pay the government just to have this job
We should be more grateful for what we already have. You know you did not go into this career for the money! AND YOU CHOSE THIS JOB! It is not like anyone is forcing any of us to stay in this field. If you don’t like it, please leave and stop complaining. Those who waste their time complaining are bringing down the rest of us. Stay positive and be content with what you have. . .which is more than enough!
Wendy
May 15th, 2010
3:06 pm
I think people that complain about how easy teachers have it should quit their jobs and become teachers themselves. Who would turn down such pay, vacation , and benefits?
Linda, NBCT
July 8th, 2010
7:02 pm
I could rant on and on (as others have) arguing the emotional points of this “debate”, but the bottom line is this: We were promised (and hold contracts that state) that if we achieved National Board Certification we WOULD recieve a 10% pay raise for 10 years. That’s it. There was nothing in the contract or literature we recieved that gave stipulations or scenarios for “taking it back”. While I could’ve gone on to pursue a Ed.D or Ph.D, which also awarded a pay hike, I considered the professional growth and merits earning a NB certificate would bring to me – in addition the the pay increase. I worked for and earned my certification, and, recieved the contract and pay raise in 2003. The government as stolen our money as well as our trust. Now it is up to the courts.