Teacher Compensation System
Often, it’s important to have some
advanced warning when there is a major change in the weather. The same
is true when there are major changes in education. Here are a few
warnings as school districts begin to plan and implement the new Teacher
Leadership System.
 Avoid a program that is implemented before classroom teachers are
asked what they need.
 Avoid any program that does not have Association members and
leaders as a part of the planning and implementation process.
 Avoid a system that creates another level of management through
coaching. If the model has coaches making recommendations
regarding the teaching of colleagues, and a principal is able to use
those recommendations in an informal or formal evaluation, try to
change the model. Coaches should simply coach by modeling,
supporting, and encouraging their colleagues.
 Avoid a program where teacher leaders just tell other teachers how to
teach and then spend the rest of their time meeting with one another.
Teachers will have little or no respect for a system like this.
 Avoid a system that chooses all one demographic as teacher leaders.
There should be a demographic mix that reflects the school
population.
 Avoid a system that replaces teachers who assume teacher
leadership roles with substitute teachers. This is bad practice and is
illegal under DE rules.
 Avoid a program where the school administration tries to pay less
than the employee’s per diem for additional time worked.
 Avoid a program that does not have well defined job descriptions for
each teacher leadership role.
 Avoid a program where teachers who assume the teacher leadership
roles lose some Master Contract rights. These are bargaining unit
employees and have the same rights and responsibilities as any
other bargaining unit member.
And the Final Warning…
If you are in doubt, email or call
your UniServ director for
advice. A bad plan could be
with you for a very long time
and could impact your Master
Contract negatively.