Published: March 1, 2007

A Better Motivator

Are performance bonuses fair? I don’t think so. [ “Rethinking Merit Pay,” January/ February] They are based on students meeting the grade-level standard. Since the trend to retain students is not in vogue, most teachers end up with a class of students with varying abilities. Trying to get a child who comes into a 5th grade class at a 2.7 reading level at the beginning of the year to a 5th grade reading level by the end of the year is impossible. It is...