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The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 22, 2008

AP Overload?

Regarding "School Chief Earns $37,620 In Bonuses" (Metro, Jan. 15):

The sub-headline of this article ("Student Achievement Is Basis") implies that student achievement determines bonus amounts paid. A reading of your reporter's well-written story reveals a somewhat different circumstance.

More than $8,000 was paid to Elia for no better reason than that the numbers of students enrolled in Advanced Placement classes increased. There is no "performance" factor attached to doing nothing more than stuffing students into classes. Would it be cynical to wonder if there is a relationship between this bonus and the fact that some schools have seen their AP enrollments more than double in the short time since Elia took charge?

LEE M. JOEB

Lutz

The Retention Factor
I have no problem with a bonus system in a public or nonprofit setting and actually have developed them. I do have a recommendation however.

Why isn't there a category for the recruitment and retention of staff, specifically related to teachers? We then could measure how our retention rate compares to other retention data in the area, the state, etc. Retention is a great measurement for both employee relations and financial reasons for a leader who manages and leads his or her organization successfully whether it is in the public, private and nonprofit sector. The teachers, of course, are a major factor in the superintendent reaching or not reaching the stated goals and objectives.

ROSS P. ALANDER

Tampa

Give Teachers Bonuses

I read with great disgust that a school superintendent gets bonuses for the work the students and teachers do. With schools needing more money to carry out their everyday curriculum, I find it very wasteful to pay bonuses to someone who is making a very good salary in the first place. Sure she runs a large school district, but when her contract includes bonuses based on performance of student tests and achievement, this is ridiculous. The teachers and schools should get the bonuses.

Not all schools have the same student achievements because of location, language, etc., and they are the schools that need the extras to help bring them up to the standards needed.

P. FRANCIS

Tampa

Real Pay Disparity

It was truly infuriating to read, yet again, that MaryEllen Elia made $290,518 last year while an elementary school teacher with 10 years of experience earned roughly $40,000. And that's after a much-publicized raise which really mainly consisted of extending teachers' work hours and paying us for the additional time we put in.

It was even more infuriating to hear that the superintendent received a $36,620 bonus for Hillsborough kids' performance on the 2007 FCAT. Last time I checked, she was not in the classroom teaching and preparing those kids for the big test. Those of us who were received no bonuses.

No wonder teachers are unhappy and gradually more and more disengaged.

ANN MAKARSKI

Valrico

Who's Most Responsible?

As a Hillsborough public school teacher, I was upset, but not surprised, to read about our superintendent's bonus. I am not saying that MaryEllen Elia does not work hard and Hillsborough is indeed a huge school district to manage. However, I would like her to explain publicly how she is responsible for improved student test scores.

As a high school English teacher, I can say that all of us spend countless hours teaching reading comprehension and writing skills to prepare students not only for FCATs, but for whatever students choose to do after high school. We work hard teaching our 150 students, even after Elia chose to have us all teach an extra class period this year.

Frankly, I feel that the bonuses Elia continues to receive could be used for more constructive purposes.

RONALD MEDVIN

Tampa

Don't Rush To Judgment

Regarding "Dungy Son Transfer Produces Questions" (front page, Jan. 16):

I am really appalled that so many people are taking exception to Tony Dungy's son being accepted into Plant High School. For once Tampa is making good news and that is the fact that Dungy and his family are settling here. He is a man of integrity and grace and a true asset to the community.

If he wants his son to attend Plant and got an assignment there, I'm sure it was for a good reason. Maybe people should wait for the facts to come in and don't rush to judgment so quickly. We all know that this system is bypassed all of the time. Who doesn't know someone who gives an address of an aunt, uncle, grandparents or whomever to get their child into a certain school? They don't go the special assignment route at all. Isn't that cheating? At least Dungy did it the right way.

Give it a break, folks. Take off the judicial robes and wait for the facts!

LINDA J. BROWN

Tampa

Correction

An editorial in Friday's Tampa Tribune incorrectly referred to the designation awarded to schools under the federal No Child Left Behind Act. The correct designation is Adequate Yearly Progress.

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