Date of Award
Spring 2011
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Public Administration (MPA)
Department
Political Science
Abstract
Reform strategies in education have been administered far and wide all throughout history. Ideas such as longer school days, school choice, standardized testing, and changes to teachers’ salaries have all been studied and incorporated. Reform directives in education have been implemented from the national level all the way down to the individual teacher. The goal of these actions has been to improve the success of children in public education by way of increasing student test scores on standardized tests. However, these measures have all exhibited inconsistent results.
This paper focuses on the public education system of the State of Missouri and analyzes the preparedness for the reform measure, pay-for-performance for public school teachers. The study provides research and new data which discloses how the State of Missouri is not yet ready for the implementation of an incentive-based pay system of any type. An exploratory case study and a statistical survey provide data that helps portray a few of the many problems which have been neglected over the years through countless reform actions. Recommendations are developed by incorporating the four pillars of public administration—efficiency, effectiveness, economy, and social equity. Redesigned and never-before-seen ideas have been formulated, which provide new solutions, with the intent to increase teacher morale and motivation, increase teacher efficiency and effectiveness, and promote educational equity throughout the entire State of Missouri; hopefully transcending throughout the entire country with time.