Attitudes about Merit Pay

Weber. L. (1988). An instrument for assessing attitudes about merit pay. Educational Research Quarterly 12:2–7.

Comments:

This 16-item instrument addresses two problems associated with merit pay: definitions and criteria. In addition, it provides information about reliability and validity.

Sample:

The original instrument was administered to 237 teachers and 86 administrators in northern Virginia. Two months later, 193 teachers, 107 administrators, and 135 parents participated in a replication study in Virginia.

Reliability:

In the replication study, the total group alpha for the 16 items was 0.92; 0.93 for the teachers, 0.87 for the administrators, and 0.91 for the parents.

Validity:

Five aspects of merit pay were identified through a review of the literature. These aspects were examined by 12 public school educators and a 34-item instrument was developed to assess merit pay; its effect on morale and instruction; methods for deciding on merit; and monetary issues (content validity).

Factor Analysis:

Linkage and factor analyses were performed and yielded similar results: one factor emerged that assessed a general attitude toward merit pay.

Reference

Attitudes about Merit Pay

1. A merit pay program will attract better qualified people to the teaching profession.
2. Merit pay would not enhance the positive relationship among teachers and administrators.
3. A merit pay system will have a negative impact on the morale of teachers in the system.
4. Nominees for a merit pay increase can be objectively identified.
5. Merit pay will positively affect teacher morale.
6. Competition for merit pay will inhibit spontaneity and innovation by teachers within classrooms.
7. A merit pay plan has no place in the public school setting.
8. Teachers working under merit pay will be less cooperative with their peers.
9. A merit pay system should be included in the salary schedule.
10. Students standardized test scores results should be a factor used when evaluating teachers for merit purposes.
11. Standardized test scores in the school system would improve if a merit system of pay were adopted.
12. Accord between administrative and instructional staff will be negatively affected if a merit system is adopted.
13. Merit pay should not be implemented in the public schools.
14. A merit pay program will improve the quality of instruction for gifted students.
15. A merit pay program will result in a higher retention rate of better teachers.
16. Tenured teachers receiving unsatisfactory evaluations should be denied automatic salary increases so that funds will be available for merit pay.

Scoring:

Agree = 1; Tend to Agree = 2; Tend to Disagree = 3; Disagree = 4. Scoring is reversed for negative items (2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 12, and 13). Low mean values (equal to or less than 2.5) represent a favorable attitude.