"Houston, We Have A Problem."

OK. Let’s talk about Houston, Texas. Let's talk about their new pay-for-performance plan.

1. Several years ago Houston school bosses were busted for lying about their dropout rates. When former Bush DOE Secretary, Rod Paige (yes, that Rod Paige. The one who called the NEA a terrorist organization) was superintendent. administrators were encouraged to cook the books on dropout numbers.

2. Then, several years later, Houston schools were caught again. This time it was for lying about test scores. Six teachers were caught, and several principals were demoted or reprimanded. Although the administrators were the ones who created the pressure and atmosphere that encouraged or tolerated the cheating, they will now supervise and financially benefit from Houston's new pay-for-performance plan. The teachers, of course, were fired.

3. Houston is now the largest school district in the nation to use a pay-for-performance scheme for teacher salaries.

4. The pay incentives are based on three "strands."

One will give cash to teachers based on how much their school's test scores have improved compared with the scores of other schools around the state. Another will compare student progress on the Stanford 10 to that of students in similar classrooms in Houston. The third measure will be student progress on the statewide Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills test.

5. Oops. That means no bonuses for art teachers, P.E. teachers, music teachers, librarians, special education or K and pre-K teachers. In fact, only half the teachers in the Houston schools are eligible for the bribe.

6. The Houston teachers' union was not involved or consulted on the plan.

7. While the eligible teachers can make a couple of thousand dollars extra, administrators can make over $25 thousand in bonuses. No incentive for cheating there. No, not in Houston. Not with their rap sheet.