Teachers salaries should be based on the academic performance of their students Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the recommendation and explain your reasoning for the position you take In developing and

The academic prowess of a society can be largely credited to its educators. And yet, teachers are notoriously the least compensated for their contributions to the masses. What are ways to remedy this problem? The author proposes the idea that teacher’s salaries should be based on the academic performance of their students. While there are benefits that can come about this system, I moderately disagree with this statement. In the following essay, I will outline two reasons why this form of compensation should not be adopted by the education system.

Firstly, as unfortunate as it is, not all schools are built the same. It would be unfair to compare the success of a teacher in a low-income neighborhood with one in an affluent one. Schools located in poorer areas receive less funding, therefore, they are supplied with fewer and less-updated resources. Additionally, students coming from low-to-middle class households often lack the support at home which is essential for success. On the opposite hand, college preparatory schools have students who are not only more academically-motivated, but who also have all of the additional resources to help them achieve their goals. For example, some private college prep schools will provide students with extra AP courses, SAT lessons, etc. Therefore, it is unfair to judge a teacher purely upon the performance of their student. Regardless of motivation and effort, without ample resources and susceptible students, they would have a difficult time finding success.

Secondly, academic performance alone is not the only metric of success of a teacher. Educators who solely focus on test scores and GPAs are missing a crucial component of their role in a young students’ life. Many children who lack support at home often turn to their teachers for refuge. If teachers only focus on academics, they will not be able to find the time or the energy to also provide solace and support for their students who are in dire need of their emotional assistance. Therefore, placing pressure, especially financial pressure, on teachers to create high-performing students would not be beneficial for either party.

While I do not agree with this argument, I recognize its merit. Providing monetary incentive could be beneficial if the situation is correct. For example, teachers within the same school, teaching the same students could be provided with financial motivation to put more effort in delivering academically prosperous students. However, I do propose that there be a base rate that all teachers should be guaranteed regardless of performance – i.e. no educator should go home hungry if they are unable to hit their marks. In this scenario, teachers are all subject to similar students, have similar resources and are all motivated to push students to the best of their abilities.

The long-standing question of how to properly compensate teachers while also pushing for academic excellence in students remains unsolved. Giving educators financial incentive, while a thought-provoking idea, would not be viable in all situations. Without standardization, some teachers face the impossible task of creating high-performing students while others do so with ease.