Some Missouri lawmakers say the state should do away with its tenure system for teachers and make students' academic performance a big part of their evaluations.
A House panel heard testimony Wednesday on legislation that would require 50 percent of a teacher's evaluation to be based on students' scores on state tests. Teachers would not be guaranteed salary increases based on their classroom experience. The changes would take effect in July 2012.
Sponsoring Rep. Scott Dieckhaus, a Republican from Washington, says a teacher's experience has little effect on job performance and should not be used to set their pay.
Teachers unions say classroom experience helps teachers improve, and connecting pay to test scores would make teachers compete for the best students and ignore students who need help.