-DPS has an image of itself as "cutting-edge" and progressive in terms of ed reform. However, it actually just poorly executes reforms that have no research to support implementation.
-For example, performance pay is a joke at DPS. As a k-2 teacher, your bonus will be determined by how grades 3-5 does on standardized tests. Especially if you are new to a school, this bonus structure will have ZERO to do with your talent or impact as a teacher.
-I brought this up at an open forum with Susana Cordova, the acting superintendent. She gave an insulting answer about new teachers to the district needing to be better informed about other ways to increase your base pay - specifically, professional development units and student learning objective. SLOs are required and I was already signed up for a PDU. Combined, these amount to less than 1,500 extra on your base salary. That means that the old structure of moving up the pay scale yearly actually would have given me more money, even thought I'm working my butt off for my students.
-Like I said, they'll tout their "performance pay" and other "innovations," but those of us on the ground are much better informed about what this looks like in practice (read: INEFFECTUAL).
