Next, a new system must be put in place for rewarding the best among our present and future teaching force. Education takes place in the classroom, and when it does not take place, the reason can be found in the same location. When all a person needs do to increase next year's salary is grow a year older or survive one or more education courses, there is scant incentive to be better. The complaint about who will evaluate teachers and how it will be done is begged every time one spends more than a day in a school. Yet students know who the best teachers are.
Parents know, too.
Even the teachers know who the best teachers are. It's only the teachers' organization that apparently is not privy to this information. I suggest that the teacher be his or her own salary negotiator and be allowed to accept or reject an offer, as is the case in the sports world. Unions and boards could set minimums and maximums, but every teacher would be able to negotiate within that range. A look at the sports environment shows clearly that when the best have been rewarded better, all the players have ultimately done better.