I already work in a system that rewards the “proven performers”

http://www.mlive.com/education/index.ssf/2013/05/post_12.html 

     I understand why this bill is hard for the critics to understand and accept.  People fear change, the old way worked well for a lot of adults, but none of us became teachers for the salary, and this system is not working for the students.  HB 4625 provides flexibility for school districts to implement a model that works for their teachers and administrators. It does not prescribe a certain model or compensation plan.

     I am on a mission to elevate the profession of teaching to that of other top performing countries.  I dream of the day when our nation puts teacher standards and teacher pay high on its agenda.  I want to restore the trust in America’s teachers by proving that they are statically great at what they do.  Better pay does lead to better teachers when there is a way to measure that growth.

Teacher 'pay for performance' bill approved by House panel over opposition from educators

By Brian Smith | bsmith11@mlive.com 
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on May 22, 2013 at 2:46 PM, updated May 22, 2013 at 2:49 PM

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Winnie BrinksCourtesy 

LANSING - Despite vehement opposition from both K-12 and higher education administrators and teachers, a House bill tying teacher salaries to student performance was approved by the House Education Committee along party lines.The measure, House Bill 4625, amends state education law to require school districts to make student performance a primary factor in determining teacher salaries. Secondary school teachers would be eligible for raises for earning advanced degrees when those degrees are in curriculum subjects they teach, while elementary educators would be eligible for raises for earning advanced degrees in elementary education. Only teachers hired after the adoption of the bill would be affected.
Under the present model, student performance is one of several factors used in determining salaries, along with a teacher's education and experience.
A standing-room only crowd - mostly school administrators, higher education officials and K-12 teachers who opposed the bill - filled a hearing room at the House Office Building.
Much of the opposition was centered on the fact that the Michigan Council on Educator Effectiveness, tasked with developing objective standards for evaluating teacher performance, has yet to make its recommendations on how educators should be assessed.