Gubernatorial platforms address education initiatives

Public schools, universities and community colleges across the state are investigating ways to reward better performing schools — but administrators say the economy continues to be a roadblock on the path to reform.

All three layers of North Carolina’s education system have looked into models that provide incentives for improved student performance and graduation rates, but no formal proposals have been adopted.

The push for accountability comes at a time of scarce resources for the state. Each school system has absorbed millions in state funding cuts in recent years, including a $414 million reduction for the UNC system in 2011-12.

In this year’s gubernatorial race, both Republican candidate Pat McCrory and Democrat Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton have expressed support for performance-based funding, though their platforms differ on how the programs would be implemented.

June Atkinson, state superintendent of public instruction, said her priority is to increase the base salary for K-12 public school teachers.

The state’s starting salary for teachers is $29,500, and the pay scale process is lengthy and slow, said Angela Farthing, director of program policy for the North Carolina Association of Educators.

Farthing said the steps for pay raises will ideally be condensed before performance-based funding is implemented.

Rep. Linda Johnson, R-Cabarrus, co-chairwoman of the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee, said it’s difficult for teachers to enter the profession knowing their pay will be stagnant regardless of performance.

“We’re investigating the pay schedule because there is an interest in it,” she said.

Farthing said she had concerns about some aspects of performance-based funding.

“Students are not a test score, and a teacher should not be judged on a test score,” Farthing said.

Atkinson said teaching should not be a competitive sport but based on people working together for students.

“Another component of any type of pay-for-performance should be that all teachers are eligible,” she said.

Jonathan Pruitt, associate vice president for finance for the UNC system, said the UNC system is also in the process of developing a performance-based funding model.

He said the system is shifting from an enrollment-based funding model to one that provides incentives for improving student retention and encouraging efficiency.

The N.C. Community College system has a performance-based plan already in place, but it’s not stable, said Jennifer Haygood, the system’s chief financial officer.

She said for a number of years, no funding was approved by the state.

“Obviously, it’s not going to be a very effective system if there’s no guarantee for funding,” she said.

Haygood said the new proposal will incentivize improvement with a tiered system of funding based on performance measures.

Farthing said she was concerned about the longevity of these types of programs.

Some other states have ended their programs due to a lack of funds, she said.

Rep. Ken Goodman, D-Montgomery, a member of the education oversight committee, said he thinks pay-for-performance models will benefit students.

“Our investments in education are going to determine the future of this country,” he said.

He added the state needs to do what’s necessary to fund education, even if it means making difficult choices — which include not raising taxes during tough economic times.

But Farthing said it is amazing to talk about bonuses when there is no money available for textbooks and basic education infrastructure.

“With the budget times that we’re in right now, it’s not wise for our state to think of a performance-based or compensation model until we can afford to cover the basics of education,” she said.

Contact the desk editor at state@dailytarheel.com.