| In the state of Tennessee Memphis Schools are | | | | depending on the finding of trials to be funded by |
| lagging behind. With 80-81% of Tennessee's 4th | | | | the grant. The five-year grant will investigate the |
| grade students performing on grade level in both | | | | correlation between significantly increased teacher |
| math and reading, the children in Memphis Schools | | | | pay and student achievement. That means a |
| are well behind in the 63-66% range. Dropout | | | | difference of several thousand versus several |
| rates also plague Tennessee's largest district. | | | | hundred dollars per year. |
| 32.5% of students will drop out of Memphis | | | | How well do Memphis Schools pay their teachers? |
| Schools before graduating. | | | | Well, that depends. When adjusted for cost of |
| When the "No Child Left Behind Act" (NCLBA) | | | | living Memphis Schools look pretty good. |
| was signed into law in 2002, every school in the | | | | Scholastic's Instructor Magazine recently put |
| nation became accountable for reaching a minimal | | | | Memphis Schools in their Top 5 list for cities |
| level of competency. In 2004 the Tennessee | | | | where teacher pay goes the furthest. The thing |
| Department of Education labeled 148 of Memphis | | | | is, no one is really sure how important that is. |
| Schools failures by those standards. | | | | What will it mean for Memphis Schools if the |
| To address these concerns Memphis Schools | | | | grant finds little correlation between teacher pay |
| have focused on math and literacy initiatives, | | | | and student achievement? It could mean teachers |
| adoptions of new textbooks, and better teacher | | | | just aren't motivated by money. It might mean |
| training. In Memphis Schools, where 71% of | | | | that home environment trumps schools |
| students qualify for free or reduced lunches, the | | | | environment. Or it could mean something else all |
| impact of teacher development in raising test | | | | together. |
| scores is critical. How much influence teachers | | | | Meanwhile, Memphis Schools are trying to improve |
| have on student achievement, and the quality of | | | | their standing by creating better community |
| those professionals working in struggling schools, | | | | involvement and reassessing educational goals and |
| has been a topic of debate in Memphis Schools | | | | outcomes. Ultimately, educators and administrator |
| for years. | | | | make daily decisions without full knowledge of |
| A recent $10 million federal grant with the | | | | areas like teachers incentives. Maybe more |
| Peabody Center for Education Policy may help | | | | studies like this one will start to bridge the gap |
| clarify some of these issues. Memphis Schools | | | | between what we think and what we know |
| could eventually benefit, or change course, | | | | about education in Memphis Schools and in general. |