Disincentives to Teaching: Teacher Reactions to Legislated Learning

Abstract

Legislated learning describes accurately the assumptions underlying educational legislation in Florida from 1976 to 1985. This study explores the failure of teachers to accept models of legislated learning imposed on them. While 86.7% of teachers surveyed identified "the times I know I have `reached' a student or group of students and they have learned" as the most salient intrinsic reward in teaching, 74% of teachers interviewed found legislated learning as questioning competency, limiting the scope of teachers' work and/or political interference. Instead of creating an incentive of a better educational environment, legislated learning, according to interviewees, functioned as a disincentive to these teachers.

Beyond Legislative Schizophrenia: Sustaining Long-Term Educational Reform and Short-Term Viability

“…Florida adopted almost all of the reform efforts that other states passed out including a requirement of 24 credits for graduation; a longer school day; a merit pay program for teachers; a merit schools program; a performance-based evaluation system for principals; an alternative teacher certification program; a modernization of the curriculum through more emphasis on math, science and computer education, a reduction in teacher-pupil ratios in the early years, middle school enhancements; and a minimum GPA. Interstate comparisons have shown that the Florida proposals were the most numerous of any state (McCloskey, Provenzo, Cohn, and Kottkamp, 1991;Firestone, 1990).…”