Teachers in St. Clair County's intermediate school district have negotiated a contract in which raises may be paid based on merit -- not length of tenure or number of advanced degrees.
The tentative contract in the St. Clair County Regional Educational Service Agency (RESA) could be a first in Michigan, and one of just a few in the nation, because it sets teachers' salaries and pay raises based on merit.
That means teachers rated as highly effective in their annual evaluations would get higher salaries. It also means no pay increases for teachers whose ratings decline.
The RESA plan could provide a preview of the future, given how much emphasis is being placed on merit pay. Some other districts are experimenting with merit pay, but it often comes in the form of incentive bonuses for improved test scores as opposed to base salaries or raises.
