Senate Democrats have released a budget proposal that deeply cuts the Teacher Incentive Fund. The fund, writes Cindy Brown, supports innovative new ways to compensate teachers.
I'd surmise the cut is the result of two different cross-pressures within the party. First, you have moderates who are itching to cut the budget as much as possible in order to demonstrate their centrist bona fides. Then you have liberals who either don't care about or actively oppose education reform, especially the sort of reform that overturns traditional seniority-based wage scales. Combine the two, and you have a huge cut to a vital new reform program. It's a ridiculously poor way for the federal government to save money.