Democrat Governor Tom Vilsack today released his own plan for raising teacher pay and tying pay to performance. Unlike the G-O-P plan revealed last week, Vilsack would raise the minimum teacher salary above what it is today — 23-thousand dollars. Vilsack’s plan would raise beginning teacher pay to $28,000 in four years. Vilsack also immediately begins implementing merit-based pay. Republicans want to appoint a commission to come up with ways to judge how well teachers teach. Vilsack says bonuses should start in the next school year. Vilsack’s plan does not include the G-O-P idea of letting people with a college degree take a 12-week course in order to get a “provisional” teaching license. Vilsack says he’s “optimistic” the differences between his plan and the G-O-P proposal can be worked out.House Speaker Brent Siegrist, a republican from Council Bluffs, says the few differences are NOT insurmountable. The House Education Committee will debate the issue Wednesday.
