Our Children Will be the Victims of STAR,

Aronowitz tells MDCPS

     “This is what I call child abuse,” UTD President Karen Aronowitz told MDCPS representatives as the two sides returned to the bargaining table on Tuesday, this time to negotiate the controversial performance pay plan known as STAR (Special Teachers Are Rewarded). 

     “The state should be ashamed.  We are talking about the state punishing its own children so their teachers can get a bogus bonus,” said Aronowitz, referring to the program’s $19.6 million dollars being tied directly to FCAT scores.

     The STAR program will give a bonus of 5% increase of their base salary to 25% of “special” teachers in each district. The bonus does not factor into salary for retirement.  What makes these teachers eligible to receive this reward is yet to be determined and what will be used to assess the non-FCAT subject teachers is not known.  However, the DOE requires MDCPS and UTD to agree on a plan by March 1^st, or have the $19.6 million diverted to other districts.