Lisa Lake/Getty Images

D.C. teachers' union ratifies contract, basing pay on results, not seniority

After years of negotiations, D.C. schools chancellor Michelle Rhee struck a deal with teachers unions yesterday that could have a lasting impact on schools across the nation and within LAUSD. In exchange for higher teachers’ salaries, the contract ratifies some once-controversial concepts proposed by Rhee, such as linking teacher performance pay to test scores and weakening seniority and tenure, which have since been incorporated into President Obama’s “Race to the Top” competition among participating states for a piece of $3.4 billion in federal education funds. California will need to follow suit and revamp some of its laws to reflect this shift if it wants to qualify for the second round of Race to the Top funds after it failed to even qualify as a finalist in the first round. What can California learn from D.C. and are California teachers willing to accept more money for less job security?

Guests:

Paul Peterson, Director of Harvard University’s Program on Education Policy and Governance; he is also hosting a conference at Harvard today and tomorrow on merit pay

Sen. Gloria Romero, D-24th District (Los Angeles); Chair of the Senate Education Committee

Marty Hittelman, president of the California Federation of Teachers