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Candidates oppose test-score merit pay and express support for teacher unions
Summary
At a Southeast Polk forum, the five school board candidates largely rejected linking pay to student test scores and voiced support for the district27s teacher association and collective bargaining.
All five candidates at the Southeast Polk Education Association forum said they would not support linking teacher pay directly to student test scores and most offered explicit support for the district's teacher association and collective-bargaining process.
"I have mixed feelings. I am against the merit pay system as far as linking test scores to, teacher pay because there are so many factors involved," said Carla Jensen, a retired teacher and candidate, who said test scores alone are not an equitable measure. Tracy Dawson said the district already uses teacher-leadership pay pathways and cautioned that tying pay to scores could pull curriculum out of teachers' hands.
Grant Gillen said, "I hate to take money out of teachers' pockets, but the answer is no," arguing merit pay would distort curriculum and assessment practices. Adam Krell and Bridget Ernst both said merit pay could pit teachers and students against one another; Krell described the concept as a poor fit for public education where schools do not select students.
On unions, candidates expressed strong support for the Southeast Polk Education Association and the master contract it negotiates with the district. Several candidates cited the district's decision to keep a master contract after statewide changes to bargaining rights around 2017.
"I come from a union background. So I strongly believe in unions. An advocate is a voice for someone and I believe a union is a voice," said Tracy Dawson. Candidates described the master contract as a recruiting tool and as a basis for fair decision-making and called for ongoing open communication between the board, administration and the association.
None of the candidates advocated for merit pay tied to test scores; instead they supported leadership and supplemental-pay opportunities for teachers such as model-teacher roles and instructional coaching. Candidates asked the board and administration to continue reviewing health-insurance options, which several said affect teacher recruitment and retention.
Forum participants did not take formal positions on district bargaining strategy or specific contract language; discussion focused on principles and candidate positions ahead of the election.
