Merit Pay, Higher Education and Growth

The proposed Jefferson County Megasite, combined with Governor Haslam’s Education Initiatives that he rolled out at last week’s State of the State address, have the potential to impact teachers, students and taxpayers in Jefferson County. Director of Jefferson County School, Dr. Charles Edmonds, addressed some of those concerns this week. State of Tennessee employees are slotted to receive a 1.5% raise in the new State proposal and Haslam is looking for funding for $60 million in merit pay for educators, though there is currently no blueprint for distributing the funds.  Director Edmonds is concerned about the prospects of merit pay for teachers and administrators. He stated that in the current evaluation system there are inconsistencies that could impact an educator’s financial bottom line if merit pay becomes a part of the State plan. The Director was direct in his reservation about the teacher evaluation system when it took effect a couple of years ago and his reservations still stand. He said that some parts of the previous moves for education reform have been beneficial, noting that it is now easier to remove an ineffective teacher, however he see the potential for great inequity in the proposed merit pay. Edmonds stated that there are many considerations that must be taken into account with respect to teacher success. Jefferson County teachers face a tough economic climate in the County and some schools are more heavily affected by poverty than others. 74% of Jefferson County students are on free or reduced lunch and income level has a direct correlation to academic success. Subject matter and subject resistance also influence a teacher’s success. Those that teach required courses may have a less engaged audience than those that teach elective subjects. Likewise, Dr. Edmonds is aware that there is some inconsistency among evaluators, who are often experienced teachers that are fitting evaluations in between teaching classes, doing class preparation and grading papers. He has confidence with the current team of evaluators, however school to school and system to system continuity is difficult and the Director is not comfortable with the mood that fiscal competition sets in a school. Rather than dole out merit pay, Dr. Edmonds would prefer to see the State give meaningful raises across the board.

In addition to merit raises, Haslam is pushing higher education in his most recent Education Imitative. He is hoping to increase the percentage of Tennessee residents that have an associate degree or higher from 32% to 55% by the year 2025. He is planning incentives for colleges that improve their student retention and graduation rates and is looking toward investing in an online college program that is geared toward adult students. Director Edmonds is also looking to increase the opportunities for Jefferson County High School students in regard to higher education. A persistent decline in ACT test scores is a cause of concern for the Director and he is actively looking at every avenue to address the issue. Edmonds said that he is aware that not every student is college bound, nor do they have to be in order to be employable. He considers the responsibility of high school is preparing the student for life after graduation and that means both college and career preparation. The Department of Education is in the process of identifying and isolating ACT scores from students that are seriously college bound to access their college readiness. The ACT is considered a benchmark test for predicting college success and the score is heavily considered in college acceptance. Currently, all students take the ACT test before graduation, though the vast majority have not taken college prep courses. Though Edmonds agrees with the Governor’s push for tuition control and adult opportunities, he is award that not every community in the State will achieve the proposed number of college graduates. He is also aware that not every good job requires a college degree and is optimistic that there may be opportunities for local students on the horizon.

Director Edmonds has a history with large auto manufacturers from his stint as the Director of Franklin County Schools and is certain that Jefferson County Schools can handle the influx of students, should the proposed Jefferson County Megasite come to fruition. He said that he feels for the property owners that are faced with difficult decisions and there would be some adjustment to be made in the schools if the Megaproject is approved. Dr. Edmonds does not anticipate the necessity for a huge building program, however some additions would most likely be a necessity to accommodate the influx of families to the area. The major benefit that Edmond sees for the school system is the economic boost that would come to the County if a large manufacturer were to come to the area and the possibility of partnering with the company to help students prepare for jobs after graduation. Jefferson County High School and the Patriot Academy have positioned the Department of Education well to answer the needs of the community and provide appropriate space for students to prepare for future employment. The Director stated that the State has resources that can do the necessary projections for the Department of Education, should the need arise, and the Department of Education feels confident that they can capitalize on any opportunities provided by State initiative or local economic advancements.