Earlier this month, Governor Crist vetoed SB 6, the most far reaching teacher reform bill this country has seen. Among other things, the bill would have eliminated tenure and the salary schedule, replacing them with annual contracts and compensation based on performance and shortage areas (hard to staff schools and subjects). Many others have written in detail on this bill and what it would have meant (See Ed Week, Randi Weingarten, Rick Hess, Foundation for Florida’s Future) While in my opinion this bill went too far in some areas, its existence creates a unique opportunity for the teacher’s union to seriously engage in developing a meaningful but more rational teacher reform package for the Race to the Top II application process. Here is why.
First in the Race to the Top I, Florida came in 4th place losing points for not having teacher buy-in. Given that around 10 states will end up willing RTT grants, it is likely that Florida would win a grant with only minor improvements to it.
Some would say that the unions should take advantage of this leverage and try to water down the proposals in the RTT 2 plan (i.e. if you want union support then remove reform elements ….) But, if that path is taken, it could be disastrous for the union in the long run because the next round of SB 6 is lingering out there. The Legislature that just passed SB 6 will likely be back with a similar bill in the next legislative session. And, the current Republican candidate for Governor, Bill McCollum, said that we would back the bill. McCollum has a 7 point lead in the latest poll. So, absent a political swing in Nov., it would appear that an SB 6 like bill will be enacted some time in 2011 absent other policy action on this front.
Race to the Top II is that opportunity. The state needs union buy-in for their application, and the union needs a way to head off SB 6 round II. It sounds like the discussions have begun (here). Let hope that the union takes advantage of this opportunity to develop a compromise package that really moves the needle on teacher quality reforms in a way that can lead the rest of the nation. Otherwise, the union may end up willing the battle but losing the war, and facing SB 6 round II next year.
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