Florida teachers would be judged on their students’ growth on standardized tests, and new teachers would be paid based on such test scores, as part of a merit-pay bill filed last week by the chairman of the Florida Senate’s education committee.
The proposal follows a controversial merit-pay bill that was vetoed last year by then-Gov. Charlie Crist. The new bill is similar to plans floated by the Florida Department of Education. It would grandfather in current teacher-pay plans but set up merit-based plans for teachers hired after July 1, 2014. At least 50 percent of a teachers evaluation would be based on student test-score data, and new teachers could not get raises by earning advanced degrees.
