The Gazette uses Instaread to provide audio versions of its articles. Some words might not be spoken correctly.
The richest guy in the world was using a chainsaw while causing chaos in federal agencies as part of President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE.
It’s hard to surpass that.
The DOGE Task Force in Iowa, which was composed primarily of business executives and appointed by Governor Kim Reynolds in a flattering nod to Trump’s wrecking ball, has been far more composed.
No chainsaws. No mayhem. And hardly many fresh concepts.
Classic rock is its most well-known suggested choice, which was shared last week. Not particularly novel, but familiar.
Consider giving public school instructors merit compensation.
During the first 13 years of this century, Iowa discussed what was known as pay for performance. At least three times, Iowa lawmakers tackled the matter when the Golden Dome of Wisdom was more purple than Prince.
In 2001, Republicans campaigned for pay for performance to take the place of the teacher pay compensation system. However, they were forced to make concessions to Democratic Governor Tom Vilsack.In exchange for bonuses, Obama approved a $40 million law that would empower districts to establish accomplishment targets for every school facility.
At the time, Vilsack stated, “This is landmark legislation, but it certainly isn’t finished yet,”
He was correct.
Three districts participated in a trial program that tested performance-based compensation in 2007 under a Democratic-controlled legislature. Changes at the state level were not the result.
An increase in starting compensation and a career track for teachers to become mentors and masters who impart knowledge to other teachers were two of the many reforms to public schools that Governor Terry Branstad suggested in 2013. A task team also came up with such idea.
Even with all of those pilots, ladders, and routes, the concept of paying only on performance was never widely adopted. For starters, when teachers vie for wage increases, merit pay hinders teamwork. The people who will be in their classes and the difficulties they will present are beyond the control of public school teachers.
What about educators who instruct subjects not covered by standardized testing, such as music, physical education, and others?
Student performance has declined. Merit pay must be the cause. Or perhaps it’s because the state only offers meager yearly financial increases, forcing districts to fix their budgets with bubble gum and string.
Reynolds said last November that school districts would receive $8.5 million from the Teachers Accelerated Learning Grants to compensate educators who raise student success. I can’t find any notification regarding the recipients of the funds, even though applications were closed in January.
Merit compensation is therefore a time-honored practice. Perhaps the concepts of today don’t have the same soul.
401(k)s, which are used in the private sector, can also be used to replace IPERS pensions.
We are reminded that we must manage government more like a business. This entails forcing public employees to take the same perks as corporate drones, who, believe me, adore them.
It is appropriate for them to serve the public.
Branstad discussed turning IPERS into a 401(k)-style system for years, but the proposal never materialized and is unlikely to do so, even in this red state age.
There are plenty of more ideas that Iowa DOGE has. Iowans may be able to report regulatory obstacles by calling a red tape hotline. Moving more state systems to the cloud might be a good idea. What about automating repetitious activities with AI and robots?
September is when the task force’s final recommendations are due. A robot will instantly store them in the cloud.
[email protected]; (319) 398-8262
