Senate Mulls Over National Certification For Teachers

A proposal to pay teachers $50,000 in bonuses if they achieve national certification is being discussed by the State Senate. Teachers who complete a rigorous testing and training program leading to national certification would be paid $5,000 more than their regular salaries each year for a period of ten years. Supporters of the idea say it would move Missouri closer to a world class education system. But skeptics point to a similar program in Iowa. It was cancelled after it got out of hand financially. More debate and changes are expected before the bill comes up for a vote in the Senate.