Teachers' Bonuses Will Shrink

LAKELAND | Some of the hardest-working teachers in the School District will see their state bonuses cut in half next year.

The 315 nationally board-certified teachers in Polk County schools won't receive a $4,000 bonus from the state to mentor incoming teachers in the 2008-09 school year.

And to make matters worse, most teachers who want to become nationally certified next year must pay the $2,500 application fee. In the past, the state has covered 90 percent of the tab.

The reason for the changes: An anemic state budget.

"It's a tough blow, it really is," said Annette Campbell, senior coordinator of teacher professional development. "The state has really been an advocate for this program (in the past)."

School Board member Margaret Lofton said it's sad for the teachers.

"I sympathize with the teachers who have worked so hard to go this route."

Becoming nationally certified is a rigorous one-to three-year process that demonstrates how teachers fare in the classroom and assesses what they know about their subjects.

Through the process, they document deep knowledge of their profession and demonstrate an ability to manage and measure student learning. Polk County has had the certified teacher program since 1999. The state requires certified teachers to mentor for 93 hours a school year to receive a mentor bonus.

In the end, all the work pays off.

After receiving their certification, Florida pays the teachers a $4,270-per-year bonus for 10 years. Unlike the mentor bonus, that salary bonus money is not in jeopardy for next year.

LAST BONUS

Teachers will receive their mentoring bonus for the just-completed school year in July, Campbell said.

But it isn't expected to be $4,000, the typical bonus. Just how much the bonus will be is still to be determined, but it will be less than last year.

Signs of cuts to the program first appeared earlier this year when legislators reduced the bonus pool from $100 million to $88 million. After paying out $51 million in salary bonuses this year, there is only $37 million left for mentoring bonuses.

"More than likely that won't be enough," Campbell said. "We've added teachers to the pot."

The Legislature already had dealt a blow to Polk schools.

In April, state lawmakers said they would cut the district's funding by $9 million. It was the latest cut that has forced the district to dip into its emergency fund after an earlier $32 million reduction in the budget.

So far, district officials said there have been no plans to cut jobs or wages, but departments have cut budgets by 10 percent and individual school budgets have suffered.

News of cuts to the mentoring bonus program sadden longtime Polk teacher Renee Chisholm, a counselor at Berkeley Accelerated Middle School in Auburndale.

Chisholm, 52, who received her national certification in 2004, called numerous state senators, urging them not to cut funding for the certification program.

"I so believe in this program," Chisholm said.

Besides the lack of money, Chisholm, a teacher for 31 years, said that the biggest loss will be the lack of support for incoming teachers.

"I'm concerned," Chisholm said. "Teaching is harder than it ever has been and new teachers deserve all the support they can get."

Florida and Polk are known for a high number of nationally certified teachers.

There are 63,879 nationally board certified teachers nationwide, according to the national board certification Web site. As of Dec. 4, 2007, Florida had the second-highest number of teachers in the country attain National Board Certification with 10,875. North Carolina had the most with 12,770.

In the 2006-07 school year, 45 Polk teachers became certified, down from 60 after the 2005-06 year. Next year, Campbell said she expects even fewer certified teachers in Polk because of the cuts in funding.

HOPE FOR TURNAROUND

Campbell said that if the economy picks up, the mentor program will likely be revived. But for now, the state has told her that teachers should "mentor at their own risk."

She said the district will take a hit in the professional development division.

One hope for additional funding is the federal government, Campbell said. Already, the federal government has said it would help pay for teachers in "struggling schools" to become nationally certified, but it's unclear how many teachers fall into this category and how much it will pay.

Don't expect the district to help pay the teachers, yet.

According to the district's contract with the Polk Education Association, the district kicks in $1,000 to certified teachers only if state funding falls below $1,000. Marianne Capoziello, PEA president, said that state funding may decrease even more, according to rumors.

Chisholm said she will continue to help new teachers even though she won't receive money.

"New teachers deserve all the support they can get."

[ John Chambliss can be reached at john.chambliss@theledger.com or 863-802-7588. ]