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?
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
66 comments Add your comment
Ernest
September 28th, 2009
1:52 pm
C’mon Maureen, you don’t think ‘employees’ would be willing to take a cut in pay so that others can have a ‘bonus’? If it meant taking a cut in pay to protect jobs, I believe most employees would consider it. Not for bonuses.
HS Teacher, Too
September 28th, 2009
2:11 pm
Once again the government breaks a contract and there is no recourse.
EXACTLY why I left teaching in Georgia.
Good luck, y’all.
rdh
September 28th, 2009
2:19 pm
Yeah, its crap. But you know what? I was laid off for 6 months this year, too. And the company that I was laid off from cut the salaries of remaining employees by 5%. You have to realize that no corner of the state… NO ONE has been untouched. No one has a permanent right to a job or a rate of pay. All those people … the citizens… that pay teachers salaries are suffering from 10+% unemployment and plunging house prices. Those are the sources of income for schools. There are people losing their jobs and their homes, yet you expect them to keep forking over salary at the 1999-2005 boom rate? Get over it!
Look, the right thing to do is to suspend the program until property prices and jobs rebound. Teachers SHOULD be rewarded for their extra efforts, but they must realize that the reward only exists as long as the income stream is there to pay it.
Clarence
September 28th, 2009
2:38 pm
There are several of issues with this program, not the least of which is many of the “teachers” getting this bonus are no longer teaching – as in they are not in the classroom. And because the bonus is paid as 10% of salary, these folks are often the ones getting the biggest stipends. Is that what we intended to fund?
How long is the state obligated to pay for a program? Because teacher pay automatically increases, this program costs more every year, even if no new teachers get the bonus. Are we obligated to pay for it until all 2500 teachers retire? Research has shown that being NBC doesn’t lead to higher test scores, and we all know that is all that is important. So do we need to continue funding this?
Tony
September 28th, 2009
2:58 pm
Does our state ever keep its promises to teachers?
Old School
September 28th, 2009
3:29 pm
Clarence, I have not gotten any automatic pay increases since I reached the top (21+ years) step on the salary schedule some 15 years ago. This is my 36th year and the only increases I would get would be those cost of living ones the legislature might pass and possibly fund or the one that would come if I got my Specialist degree. I have never complained about my salary nor have I groused about putting in extra hours during the school year or days during the summer. I don’t have a problem with the bonuses if the funding is there without sacrificing jobs or programs that actually work.
I just wish as much emphasis and money was being put towards updating our vocational programs as is going to testing and manipulating data.
oldtimer
September 28th, 2009
4:05 pm
When everyone was working the bonuses were ok, but with layoffs and increased classs sizes it is time to retink this. I would feel differently if the outcomes in the class were beter, but they are just not!Right now we are all on a budget cut. And no I would not pay $10 a month for someone elses bonus. Teachers in GA make more and have far better benefits than most of our neighbors. We ought to appreciate what we all have.
Allen
September 28th, 2009
5:16 pm
If the phrase “the Georgia Legislature passed a law giving a 10 percent raise to teachers who earn national certification” is accurate how is this even legal?
abacus2
September 28th, 2009
5:52 pm
I never understood why teachers bought into the National Certification, especially as the pay increase was linked to promises. I put my time, effort, and money into earning a Masters and I’m currenty working on a Ph.D. The pay increase for these is built into the state pay structure. No certification in ANY occupation guarantees a better “product”. I know several excellent National Board teachers, but I know a couple of clunkers, too.
Pee Cup Jones
September 28th, 2009
6:10 pm
“$300 is the car payment” —my car is old and payed off, why should I pay for yours.
You will do just fine without that $300.
Ginsu
September 28th, 2009
6:12 pm
“Pay raises were promised”
Me wifey promised me sexy time every night if we got hitched too.
TW
September 28th, 2009
6:29 pm
The worst thing the GOP could ever do is educate the electorate. A well educated public would mean the death penalty for the republican party.
Don’t kid yourself – the education in this state sucks because the people controlling the purse strings don’t give a rats backside about it.
catlady
September 28th, 2009
6:50 pm
The difference between teachers and other workers is we sign a CONTRACT which is legally binding for US but not for the other party (the state). Would you be happy with a contract to buy a house for 100,000 dollars, but then be told you are obligated to pay 120,000 because “we changed our minds?”
Until the state is held to its side of the contract, teachers will be the pawns in the “crisis of the moment” game. Not only can the state (via its duly constituted school boards) offer and then reneg, bu they can also add to your duties as they wish, with the clause about “or other tasks as required.” I am surprised we are not expected to spend more time in general custodial work than we already do. Oops! Better not say that out loud!
I feel for any teacher who has put their heart and soul into teaching, preparation, etc, only to be slapped in the face time and again. We are told by parents to “do our job”–maybe that is ALL we should do, and let the chaff fall where it may.
catlady
September 28th, 2009
6:59 pm
BTW, on your data blog from the other day: We were told today that they were unable to submit the information (all on the system’s computer database) in time to the state and although they had promised us labels for the ITBS to be given in a few days, we teacher would have to individually code in the students’ data on their answer sheets(again!)–more precious hours wasted on top of the other malarkey that already detracts from our job of instruction, planning, and evaluating.
Lee
September 28th, 2009
8:19 pm
At least the head football coach got his full stipend and the field looks f-a-b-u-l-o-u-s. All this talk of cut backs had a lot of us worried over here at the bait and tackle shop.
Maureen's accountability metric
September 28th, 2009
8:50 pm
Let me get this straight. If we are to follow the logic of the NBC teacher, we should steal a little bit, from a lot of people, to compensate a few people who had a lot stolen from them?
I’m guessing that National Board Certification process didn’t contain an “ethics” component.
Speaking of ethics, clearly we need to honor our promise to those teachers who completed the process. If the process isn’t proving to have a suitable return on investment, then stop the promises for future applicants.
Just another reason to take an honest look at the educational bureaucracy, and see where cuts can be made. We know we need teachers in the classroom; that’s a given. But how much of the education bureaucracy is truly needed, and in fact in some cases is even counterproductive?
Where are there the educational and political leaders in Georgia willing to discuss that, or are the educational and political leaders tied too closely to the educational bureaucracy to have an honest discussion about it?
Food for thought
September 28th, 2009
8:51 pm
Whoever said that the rest of us wouldn’t mind giving up $10 so they can get their bonuses was wrong – many of us would mind. As a science teacher supposedly promised a bonus for being a science teacher, not only do I not expect it in this economic climate, I also would never expect to get it from $10 taken from my colleagues – that’s insane.
That being said, it should’ve been clear from the beginning how the bonuses/stipends/pay increases were going to be both structured and paid for – I was under the impression years ago that the 10% was a pay increase no different that the increase for a Master’s, Specialist, or Doctorate. Then a few years back, it was changed so that only teachers in Title 1 schools were eligible for the bonus (help me NBCTs – am I right??). Now they want to take it away entirely – I’m sorry, I don’t think that should be allowed – it seems like some sort of breach of contract to me. Now, if they want to cease paying the bonus from this point forward, then I’m fine with that, but I think current recipients should be grandfathered in. I also think the bonus should only be for someone actually in the classroom – administrators, literacy and math coaches, etc should not be eligible.
We are paying a lot of money for board certification and advanced degrees. We could save some money by only granting the pay raises for degrees in field and for teachers still in the classroom (leadership degrees for admin being a logical exception). NBCT stipends could be 10% based on the BS step only – that would still provide incentive but be more cost effective.
Middle School maniac
September 28th, 2009
9:16 pm
I think we need to really begin to look differently at budgets and how we structure pay across the profession. Every other private business structure pay for performance. Be it healthcare, law, retail, sales, marketing, consulting, service, athletics, or manufacturing if you are better you have more opportunity for more pay. In education, everyone gets the same whether they work extra hours and extra days or if they come in with the busses and leave with the busses. Whether kids learn or not doesn’t matter, this needs to change. If we gave more money based on whether you were an effective teacher instead of on seniority, NCBT wouldn’t be such an issue.
In addition, tough choices have to be made everywhere in the budget season and it will only get worse next year.
NBCT
September 28th, 2009
10:17 pm
Pay raises weren’t just promised…they were contracted. If I abandon my contract, I can lose my certificate. How is it then, that the state can abandon its contract with me? There is legislation that gave that bonus pay. Unless the law is repealed, then it seems that the state is obligated.
Carlos
September 28th, 2009
10:22 pm
Los profesores merecen ser pagados qué valen. Mis cabritos quieren una buena educación y necesitamos a profesores más inteligentes aquí.
ScienceTeacher671
September 28th, 2009
10:41 pm
I’m not a NBC teacher, but those who are ought to get what was promised to them. I don’t know that I think they should if they aren’t in the classroom anymore, but apparently the state promised it to them regardless.
d
September 28th, 2009
10:55 pm
Just a thought, why are we spending money producing CRCT for 1st and 2nd grade since testing those students isn’t required under the current version of ESEA (more commonly called (despite the fact that many children are left behind) NCLB)? Why doesn’t the state eliminate the EOCT in high schools? These are nothing more than final exams. Teachers can write their own final exams and save the state a lot of money on producing and scoring those tests. They were originally slated to replace GHSGT, but I have yet to see any movement towards that. Hey, I do know where we can find another $30 Million,but I’m sure y’all are tired of hearing me fuss about a fish pond in Houston County.
SteveR
September 29th, 2009
1:09 am
Only the teachers who had to suffer the ordeal of getting national certification have an idea of the long arduous process it took to gain it. Needless to say most would not have endured it while trying to keep up with a class and home life had they not been lured into it by the government with promises of a higher salary (money they had already earned by virtue of being underpaid). My wife luckily chose to get a Masters instead.
The state and local school boards need to realize what they are doing to the morale of many of our teachers this year. Educators are having to do many more hours of busy work writing detailed lesson plans that the great majority of experienced teachers do not need to do. Suddenly a staff at even a high performing school has an extra 10-15 hours of needless busy work because some administrator decided to come up with an idea to justify their existence. So lets pay them less, give them more work to do so they have less time with their families and basically stress them out.
Yet we have systems like Cobb pay a connected inept attorney millions a year (who apparently gives bad, sometimes illegal advice) because of an even more inept board and that’s just one source of wasted funds. For the first time in 30 years my wife is stressed to the point of quitting. If it weren’t for the kids she would have already. I’m all for it. I’d like to have her back. And happy.
National Board Certified teachers: Pay raises were promised | Get … « National State Local
September 29th, 2009
3:32 am
[...] Original post: National Board Certified teachers: Pay raises … [...]
catlady
September 29th, 2009
6:58 am
We have a coach that makes over 100,000 per year.
We have limited the number of trips the cheerleaders (girls) and band (predominately girls) can take, but not limited the number of football games. How is this not a Title 9 violation?
Darren
September 29th, 2009
7:54 am
And let us not forget that GA had a billion dollars in uncollected taxes last year – money the Dems wanted to collect for schools, but the GOP said ‘nope’. And then a week after shooting it down, the GOP gave Sonny $27 mil for his new fish tank.
The citizens of GA simply aren’t smart enough to value education – a real bad deal for those who started their teaching careers here. College profs ought tell their education students to seek jobs in another state when they graduate.
Pee Cup Jones
September 29th, 2009
8:11 am
$100K?
In Gwinnett County, they are not making that unless he/she is the head football coach with a PhD and 30+ years of teaching experience service. FY 2010 Teaching salary = $86,749. Head football coaching stipend adds another $12,863 if they have 20+ years coaching experience.
Otherwise, the football booster club(i.e. private funds) must be supplementing their salary for a coach to make $100K.
PCJ
Katie
September 29th, 2009
8:28 am
FOOD FOR THOUGHT, you are correct. When Barnes brought the program to Georgia, he promised 10% of ACTUAL salary to all NBCT’s. That was then changed so that only NBCT’s who worked in high needs schools could get the stipend (luckily, at that point, we NBCT’s who were current were grandfathered in). Now, of course, the money is effectively gone. I also am in a county that is holding the money until they can determine whether or not the state will cough up. I will never see a dime.
The point is taken that we should have known better than to trust our government when they promised us this money. A PhD would have been a sure thing for me. However, I have NO regrets about doing NB even though it was the most horrifically challenging professional experience of my life. I am up for renewal next year, and I will do it in spite of the money. The experience and the practice-changing knowledge it brought me are invaluable.
John Dewey
September 29th, 2009
8:59 am
1) It boils down to keeping one’s word–integrity–lacking in much of government today. Many politicians but few statesmen.
2) I pursued a MA in history to deepen my knowledge and practice but my EdS to feed my family. I grew tired of working two jobs (teaching plus one other) and never being home for my family.
3) I am National Board Certified. It was much, much harder to fulfill than my EdS program and I came away from the process a better teacher. I discovered the process in 2000 before GA offered to pay for it but could not afford it. When GA decided to pay the cost I jumped at it.
4) I sometime wonder if the participants here read the article from which the post is driven. The young couple interviewed, as have I, were both board certified and both lost a hefty chunk of their income.
5) It feels un-professional to think about money, but altruism aside, we want to feed our families and I think we want fair compensation for a fair day’s work. However, they keep changing the definition of a fair day on us.
William Casey
September 29th, 2009
9:17 am
STEVE R is right on the money. NBC is hard work, in essence a second job. Nationaly certified teachers have EARNED this money; it isn’t a “bonus” any more than my Masters Degree pay increase or coaching stipends are bonuses. I do agree that the extra pay should go ONLY to classroom teachers since NBC is not designed to improve the performance of highly paid principals or central office bureaucrats.
Master Teacher
September 29th, 2009
9:57 am
If they treat National Board as a “bonus” then what is next? Will extra pay for additional degrees suffer the same fate? I have a family to support and I have to be able to predict what my pay will be. I understand many have lost jobs – my wife has worked 2 days in the last 6 months – but teachers take low pay and long hours (anyone want to grade 129 research papers for me?) under the impression that as a public servant I will be watched out for in tough times.
When the economy was good I went 9 years with not so much as a cost of living adjustment. I resisted the many job offers that had much better pay because I felt my job was important and because I was working on things like National Board to improve my pay. Now I discover that the promises were hallow and that many in community don’t want to sacrifice a slight tax increase to help the teachers out who sacrifice incessantly for the greater good of the community.
Let me state clearly – the very things that make me and outstanding teacher (I have a shelf of awards) will make me very successful in any career field. The general public should not be surprised when there is a mass exodus of the best teachers when the economy improves. I have already prepared my resume. I am no longer naive about how much our politicians and citizens value teachers.
Rosie
September 29th, 2009
10:03 am
Glad I didn’t fall for the NBC when it was hyped several years ago. Knew it was too good to be true. Some teachers need letters after their names to make them feel worthy. Others go into the classroom, do their job and go home feeling good about themselves and their impact on children.
Pee Cup Jones
September 29th, 2009
1:50 pm
“Let me state clearly – the very things that make me and outstanding teacher (I have a shelf of awards) will make me very successful in any career field.”
It’s a free country dude.
Thank you...
September 29th, 2009
2:24 pm
This will really hurt my family. It was a hardship on us when my other half took the time to get the certification. It will be even more of a hardship when they take away those earnings promised with the Certification. Add that to the furlough days and I have encouraged a change of profession.
A teacher that loves teaching looking for other employment because it is better for their family is just wrong.
This will only hurt Georgia Students going forward. Why on earth would any teacher ever do anything more than the minimum expected of them after this!?
This is a criminal decision handed down by our so-called “leaders.” These “leaders” have found a way to punish the top 5% of teachers in the state of Georgia. Kudos GA Legislature on another botched decision!
Lastly, the teaching profession is filled with people who value seeing a new understanding in a student’s eyes or that pride fill a student’s chest when they finally ‘get’ a new concept, moreso than the paycheck that they receive for providing such a valuable service. To start with the pay that teachers receive is hardly in line with the service that they provide. Saddling the whole profession with the furloughs was a low blow, albeit understandable. But punishing the top 5% of the teachers is just counterproductive…I hope the whole state holds the legislature responsible for yet another year of horrible test results.
Why not just pay them to find other jobs!?
jim d
September 29th, 2009
3:03 pm
Maybe—-just maybe—a group of teachers in Georgia will quit whinning and grow a pair.
jim d
September 29th, 2009
3:04 pm
Naw— that’ll never happen
jim d
September 29th, 2009
3:22 pm
Why teachers refuse to grow up.
Codependence is a pattern of detrimental, behavioral interactions within a dysfunctional relationship which is regarded as an emotional disorder, and by some as a psychological disease.[1] In the relationship, the codependent person is controlled or manipulated by another who is affected with a pathological condition, such as drug addiction.[2] The codependent’s life gets more and more out of hand and at the end, they might become as sick as the one they are codependent on.[3] In general, the codependent is understood to be a person who perpetuates the addiction or pathological condition of someone close to them in a way that hampers recovery. This can be done through direct control over the dependent, by making excuses for their dysfunctional behavior or relieving them of the consequences of the dependence. This is called enabling, which can have negative social and health consequences for both parties. A codependent may feel shame about, or try to change, their most private thoughts and feelings if they conflict with those of another person.
jim d
September 29th, 2009
3:24 pm
Mo,
Filters may have just eaten one
Maureen Downey
September 29th, 2009
3:28 pm
It’s there now.
Maureen
jim d
September 29th, 2009
3:33 pm
codependency—-What are some of the symptoms?
controlling behavior
distrust
perfectionism
avoidance of feelings
intimacy problems
caretaking behavior
hypervigilance (a heightened awareness for potential threat/danger)
physical illness related to stress
Hmmm, sound like a lot of people we all know and trust our children to?
jim d
September 29th, 2009
3:37 pm
Thanks Mo.
maybe we can wake a few folks up
Thank you...
September 29th, 2009
4:20 pm
I have lived here my whole life and paid taxes into the system. I’ll tell you…Charlotte is looking more inviting by the second.
Jim d…Way to positively impact the exchange guy. Nobody is forcing you to send your kids to a public school. If you don’t like the teachers here, maybe you should sell a few of those nickel and dime words of yours and send them to private school.
Me? I like and trust the teachers. It is the Legislators that lie…making me feel like I’d be better off anywhere else!
Thank you...
September 29th, 2009
4:33 pm
How come Jim D’s comments are posted and mine are not? His comments are more derisive than mine. Keep up the good work Maureen.
jim d
September 29th, 2009
4:47 pm
Thank you—
did the private school for a few years-I did put my money where my mouth is. -mine is now off to college in another state thank you very little
Maureen Downey
September 29th, 2009
4:49 pm
To Thank you,
Where are your missing comments? The filter is empty now and nothing by you appeared there all day. (In fact, I can’t remember anything in the filter with your screen name this week.)
Are you sure you are posting to Get Schooled?
jim d
September 29th, 2009
4:52 pm
5 out of 7 in just a couple of paragraphs—AMAZING!
Pee Cup Jones
September 29th, 2009
5:04 pm
My wifey poo is a teacher. 12 yrs experience. EdS degree. Makes $62K for 190 days of work plus outstanding health insurance and a to die for pension program.
She works very hard.
But so do I. At a Fortune 500 company–at the tune of 230 days a year, for about the same money–prorated. My benies stink by comparison to hers.
She whines, I listen–she has a sweet deal and doesn’t know it.
Armagedon
September 29th, 2009
5:11 pm
@ Thank you…–”Why on earth would any teacher ever do anything more than the minimum expected of them after this!?”
Sounds like you will take your paycut it out on your students.
jim d
September 29th, 2009
5:18 pm
PCJ,
I’m beginning to wonder if our schools for educators don’t teach a class on whinning.
ScienceTeacher671
September 29th, 2009
9:15 pm
Pee Cup, sounds like you need to become a teacher so you can get some of those good benies too.
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.