The Planning and Adoption of a Merit Program for the Rush-Henrietta Central School

Abstract

This paper outlines the planning and implementation of a merit-based evaluation program for the teachers at Rush-Henrietta Central School. Details include a history of teacher evaluation at Rush-Henrietta, committee formation, program chronology, and arguments opposed to the merit program. The author discusses the difficulties of defining merit-based evaluation and suggests a number of situations in which teachers may demonstrate merit, including in-service training, curriculum planning, and further education. He also presents alternatives to simplistic checklist evaluation. Appendices include news articles regarding teacher salaries, teacher salary schedules and promotion requirements, and assorted teacher evaluation forms.