[Greens-Media] O'Farrell can stop teacher performance-based pay disaster

[John Kaye]

O'Farrell can stop teacher performance-based pay disaster
 
Media release: 3 May 2011
 
The NSW government could protect the state's schools from the damage of performance based-pay by refusing to hand over data about teachers and students, according to Greens NSW MP John Kaye.
 
Dr Kaye said: "Prime Minister Julia Gillard wants to take Australia down the discredited path of paying teachers according to the results of their students in common tests.
 
"It has damaged educational outcomes in the USA where it has divided staff rooms, undermined essential cooperation between teachers and seen students excluded from schools.
 
"Premier Barry O'Farrell and his Education Minister Adrian Piccoli took a courageous stand in protecting NSW schools from the damage of league tables.
 
"If they are consistent they will stop Julia Gillard's scheme by starving it of the data it needs to connect teachers to student results.
 
"International evidence shows that the key to improving teacher performance is resources, cooperation and training.
 
"Performance-based pay throws teachers into competition and destroys opportunities for cooperation, sharing of resources and mentoring.
 
"It also forces teachers and schools to concentrate on test preparation at the expense of problem solving and deeper and broader learning. 
 
"Measuring performance is not only dangerous. It is also almost impossible to do with any accuracy.
 
"Performance-based pay is every bit as bad as league tables. If Mr O'Farrell and Mr Piccoli are to be consistent, the NSW government will stop Prime Minister Julia Gillard tearing apart staff rooms and undermining educational outcomes by refusing to supply the information she needs to implement her disastrous scheme.
 
"The federal government will no doubt try to bully the states into providing the information by threatening to withhold funding. NSW is one third of the nation.
 
"Mr O'Farrell and Mr Piccoli should use their power to protect teacher mentoring, cooperation and learning across the curriculum and refuse to hand over the class lists of teachers and their students Julia Gillard needs to implement her scheme.
 
"Protecting NSW from the irrational and discredited performance-based pay is in their hands," Dr Kaye said.
 
For more information: John Kaye 0407 195 455