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Show 40 Lakeside Review North, Wednesday, Nov. 2, 1983 Polls Try to Dseide n inceniivss tor DAN CARLSRUH Review Staff Incentive. To the gourmet its food. To the poet its love. To the politician its power. For all of us, its money. Despite what some naive person may have said, money does make the world go round. We all want to be paid more and teachers are no different. Money is the most basic incentive to any professional. But the agreement stops there. Some educators are calling for an across the board increase in the pay scale for all teachers in an effort to compete with private industry jobs. The governors educational committee has recommended a general pay hike of 23 percent. But according to recent polls taken by the governors steering committe on educational reform, most of the public and many educators want teachers paid what they are worth based on some sort of evaluation. In other words, merit pay. Ever since A Nation at Risk, the report on Americas educational crisis, everyone is jumping into the educational arena with zeal. The new pasttime is having a poll done of your own questions to see if they get you somewhere. The governor' did it, the teachers did it and now Kim Burningham is doing it. They all are working with pollsters to see what kind of support they have, with their ideas. A recent poll commissioned by the governors . committee showed that more than 80 percent of Utahns want teachers to be paid on a merit system. In contrast, a mere 29 percent approved 6f pay increase according to seniority. But that means teachers will have to be evaluated. A touchy subject with educators. Don Ulmer, deputy executive director of the Utah Educational Association (UEA) , said that evaluations of teachers must be done by people who understand education. Ulmer also said what is to be evaluated should be made clear. A poll completed by Wasatch Opinion for the UEA underlines Ulmers concerns. The poll was different than the governors poll in that only teachers were asked the questions. According to the UEA poll, only 35 percent of teachers approve of a merit pay system while 63 percent would oppose it. That sharply contrasts to the general public poll by the governor. Why would teachers oppose merit pay so strongly? Ulmer said that, in his opinion, the teachers repulsion to merit pay is understandable. The teachers have concerns that merit pay will be misused, said Ulmer. The evaluation may be based ' on how well you get along with the people doing the evaluation. The teacher is faced with that from the time he. or she is hired. If you dont make waves, things , will go alright. Another area which Ulmer sees as a potential problem with the merit pay system is a lowering of morale among the teachers. Basically what you are doing when you evaluate teachers is pointing out the most wonderful teacher. Only the upper percentile will be chosen to receive the merit increases so if you are one of those teachers that get the merit rating you would keep your tech - teachers . . lies must meet certain income guidelines. Previous home ownership and the sale price of the home are also factors contributing to eligibility. The maximum total income loaned through participating allowed under the program is $30,000 for a single person; lending institutions at a fixed rate interest of 10.55 per- $31,500 for two; $33,000 for cent are targeted to help low and three; $34,500 for a family of 4; moderate income families and and $500 for each individual individuals in Utah obtain hous- household member after 4. The maximum sales price for ing. In order to qualify for the fi- an existing home is $60,000, nancing, individuals and fami- - with a maximum sales price of 30-yea- r, needed. percent of those in the governors survey polled and 79 percent of those polled by the UEA favor giving college scholarships to students who are majoring in a critical shortage area such as math or science. The problems of quality teaching and incentives are complicated. So are the remedies. As of now, its all been talk and Eighty-si- x to progress have through a variety of steps before ' they can be tenured. To move surveys. evalan the on ladder, a up rung But action in the state legislauation is necessary. ture may be coming. A poll deBut Ulmer said applying the veloped by David Howe of the term merit to the ladder .Legislative General Council and scheme is a misnomer. He said Research yas given to Rep. Kim the ladder only defines the role Burningham, R Bountiful, to which the teachers must develop review. in order to move up the ladder. The poll is actually similar to He said the ladder has nothing UEA poll and is even being the to do with merit. done by the same pollster. It, But the UEA poll shows that like the UEA poll, will only ask -63 percent of teachers would apteachers the questions. prove of the ladder scheme, a Even though the Burningham number which surprises Ulmer. may be redundant, it does poll schools One major problem of show that politics may soon get ' today is the lack of science and into the merit pay issue.' math teachers. But Ulmer warns against stateOne way around the problem wide resolutions and laws which would be to pay science and to to blanket all the attempt more. Another math teachers districts school under one sysway would be to raise all tem. The needs of Davis Counteachers pay scales. ty are going to be different than said Ulmer. But one alternative which is - Piute County, both will have to find district Each broad support receiving with the public and educators is the system which works for it. . niques to yourself. It would be the me against the world attitude, said Ulmer. That would affect morale. The poll taken for the governors committee showed that 91 percent of the public feel there should be a mandatory evaluation of the teachers. But how that evaluation should be accomplished, or who should do it was not asked. However, a question on the UEA poll asked teachers that if a merit pay system was used who would they want to be evaluated by. More than 70 percent said teachers evaluate should teachers. Only 35 percent wanted parents to evaluate them and only 26 percent would like to be evaluated by students. . But in the same UEA poll, RDOD!IHV RflABMIET teachers were asked that if money was put aside, would the Applications for Home Mortgages Sought Applications are now being taken for some $143 million in single family mortgages through an offereing by the Utah Housing Finance Agency. The monies, which will be the use of scholarships to encourage students to develop their teaching skills in areas which are teachers approve of an evaluation to increase the quality of .education. Here, 81 percent of teachers said they would agree to an evaluation strictly for quality and not for pay determination. But even the type of merit system, if adopted, isnt agreed upon. One of the more popular ideas being passed around the state is what is called the ladder scheme. In the ladder merit system, $65,000 for a new home. The loan requires a minimum down payment of 5 percent. The general rule for previous home ownership is that borrowers cannot have had ah ownership interest in their previous residences for three years preceding the loan closing. That requirement will 'be waived, however, in certain targeted areas of the state. Some $28 million has been earmarked for the targeted areas. The exact location of the tar geted areas and other details concerning the loan program can be obtained by contacting participating lenders, or by contacting the Utah Housing Finance Agen- EFFECTIVE 1 Currant Wrakly Rato WESTERN KIRITAGE 0. ' The Utah Housing Finance A gency.was created by the State Legislature to provide low income interest home loans to creditworthy low and moderate income families. Money for mortgages is obtained by the sale of tax exempt bonds. v Certificate of Marked interest. $5,000 or more, Western Heritage offers 10.71 Plus you may choose from a Effective annual yield 1.00 wide, variety of FREE GIFTS when vou open your account. cy, 177 E. 100 S., Salt Lake City, Utah 84111, (801) 521-695- ANNUAL YIELD When you purchase a 6 month Money THRIFT ft LOAN Bountiful 107 North Main 298-365- 3 Sandy 830 East 9400 South 572-263- 0 St. v George 494 East Tabernacle 628-365- 8 Auditions For Drama Are Dated A BOUNTIFUL orientation will be conducted Tuesday, Nov. 8, at 7 p.m, for persons interested in auditioning to become members Of a psycho-socidrama troupe. Psycho-socidrama is an educational tool which uses a combination of music, satire and dramz to depict everyday situations that affect a persons psychological adjustment. The troupe will be hired by Davis County Mental Health Center to provide substance abuse and pre-audi-ti- al al mental health education t'o school and community groups. , The orientation, designed to . drama explain the psycho-sociconcept and the commitment .needed from troupe members, will be held at Davis County Mental Health Center, 470 East Medical Drive in Bountiftil. The for orientation is a auditions scheduled to begin Nov. 22. The troupe requires at least six: members, preferably talented in both music and drama. Those persons selected to become troupe members will attend a training workshop in late January and begin making presentations thereafter. For further information, contact Stan Fillmore or Joanne Barnes at al . 298-344- 6. CATCH ALL THE SPORTS IN YOUR FREE Hokeolde Review Cvery Wednesday The Energy Saving Calculator shows what each electrical appliance costs to operate. Its help you can count on to budget your energy dollars. While its free at any Utah Power office, dont let price fool you. It just might prove priceless. A jii M mr I . |