TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - The Leon Classroom Teacher Association (LCTA) is critical of a new bonus program meant to help effective educators.
It was passed during the 11th hour of the state budget meeting, and could cost $44 million.
Under the best and brightest teacher scholarships, almost 5,000 teachers are able to get a $10,000 bonus, but only if their ACT and SAT scores are in the top percentile.
Teachers must also be rated as highly effective in their end of the year evaluations to be eligible.
Critics of the program say ACT or SAT scores are not related to teacher effectiveness with students.
"That's a problem for some because the testing companies that archive that information would only go back a certain day and time," said David Worrell, president of LCTA, "and teachers only have until October first in their respective school district and personnel offices."
Worrell says the details don't create a level playing field for all who want to participate.
