The Education Budget #1: Can We Afford National Board Certification Bonuses?

So with the two budgets (especially the Senate budget) set to have a devastating impact on the public schools, it's reasonable to pick through the proposed education spending that is in the budget and see what there is to see. Target #1--the $5,000 a year bonus for National Board Certified teachers. From the Senate budget:

(13)(a) $28,021,000 of the general fund--state appropriation for fiscal year 2010 and $38,417,000 of the general fund--state appropriation for fiscal year 2011 are provided solely for the following bonuses for teachers who hold valid, unexpired certification from the national board for professional teaching standards and who are teaching in a Washington public school, subject to the following conditions and limitations:
(i) For national board certified teachers, a bonus of $5,319 per teacher for fiscal year 2010, and $5,325 for fiscal year 2011. National board certified teachers who become public school principals shall continue to receive this bonus for as long as they are principals and maintain the national board certification;

Similarly, from the House budget proposal:

(23)(a) $26,210,000 of the general fund--state appropriation for fiscal year 2010 and $35,902,000 of the general fund--state appropriation for fiscal year 2011 are provided solely for the following bonuses for teachers who hold valid, unexpired certification from the national board for professional teaching standards and who are teaching in a Washington public school, subject to the following conditions and limitations:
(i) For national board certified teachers, a bonus of $5,000 per teacher beginning in the 2008-2009 school year and adjusted for inflation in each school year thereafter in which Initiative 732 cost of living adjustments are provided. National board certified teachers who become public school principals shall continue to receive this bonus for as long as they are principals and maintain the national board certification;

So for the House the total 2-year appropriation is about $62 million; the Senate, about $66.4 million. Take the average of those, $64 million, figure $32 million a year, divide that by the $80,000 a year it costs for an average teacher, and you've just saved 400 jobs.

The piece that's the most galling to me is having the National Board bonuses follow teachers who move up to the principalship. They're going to get a big raise just by virtue of the job change; what is the state's abiding interest in paying this big bonus for someone who is now a step removed from actually working with kids?

As a state we've committed a hearty amount of resources to National Board certification, and I wish only the best for those who have it and those who are just starting out on the journey. If it's a choice between levy equalization cuts and the National Boards stipends, though, I know the directions I'd like to see the legislature go.