The Canyons Board of Education is deeply committed to fostering collaborative and innovative learning environments in our schools where every teacher, staff member, and student thrives. When weighing new initiatives, we evaluate their alignment with the District’s strategic goals and their potential for enhancing student achievement. After thorough consideration, and input from a sampling of teachers, the Board has decided not to participate in Utah’s experimental Teacher Merit Pay program (SB173).

This decision reflects several significant concerns:

Flawed and Rushed Design

The proposed program’s evaluation system is incomplete, and does not provide a reliable basis for measuring the performance of all teachers. Nor does it account for discrepancies in class sizes and student demographics.

Teacher Morale and Teamwork

The program, as currently designed, benefits only a small subset of teachers — those who teach grades and subjects for which there exist standardized tests. This risks pitting teachers against each other, fostering resentment and neglecting the value of arts, social studies, Career and Technical Education, and other programs integral to the success of students. It also runs contrary to the District’s Strategic Plan and could undermine our focused efforts to promote collaboration and a culture of collective responsibility for the success of every student.

Lack of Evidence for Success

The stated intent of the merit pay program is to improve teacher recruitment and retention, but Canyons already succeeds at recruiting high-caliber educators. In addition, Utah already funds a successful incentive program for hard-to-fill teaching positions in math, science, and special education.

Better Use of Resources

Canyons supports efforts to build rigor in the classroom and reward teachers for high levels of performance through proven models like teacher-leader programs. A collaborative Title I model pilot tested at one of Canyons’ high-poverty elementary schools yielded impressive gains in student achievement while ensuring all staff shared in that success, fostering a unified, motivated workforce.

We want our community to know our decision not to participate in the state’s Merit Pay program reflects our dedication to building a culture of educational excellence where staff and teachers are collectively responsible for student success. We look forward to working with legislators and education leaders to propose solutions that align with those goals.