Like fruit? How about some statistical apples and oranges?

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Teacher pay: More “myth” and “fact” on hot issue in Fl

posted by lesliepostal on March, 9 2010 2:07 PM

The Florida Education Association blasted the proposed merit-pay plan for teachers yesterday, arguing it was based in part on a “myth” about teacher job security in Florida. Here is what we wrote.

Today, the Foundation for Florida’s Future (which unsuccessfully pushed such a plan last year) and supports the new proposal by Sen. John Thrasher, R-St. Augustine, fired back. It is sent out its own “myth vs. fact” email.

In today’s email, the foundation (founded by former Gov. Jeb Bush), argued that too many students aren’t learning what they should and that the current teacher evaluation system doesn’t get at who is doing a good job — and who isn’t.

Here’s part of it:

“Myth: The current process for evaluating teachers is fine the way it is.

Fact: Last year, 99.7% of teachers in the state earned a “satisfactory” evaluation, yet 50% of our high school students, 35% of our middle school students and 30% of our elementary students didn’t make a year’s worth of progress in reading. (And 60%, 40% and 30%, respectively, were not reading on grade level.) That’s fine?”