Pawlenty dusts off teacher pay, tenure proposals

Gov. Tim Pawlenty has boiled down his proposals for education reform into seven initiatives, most dealing with the way teachers are evaluated and paid.

Pawlenty unveiled the reforms Monday in a a single bill that he wants legislators to quickly pass. The bill includes alternative licensing, pay for performance and an end to tenure. The governor has made similar proposals before and the Legislature has rejected them.

But the Republican governor says the reforms are needed to strengthen Minnesota's second application for a competitive federal grant called Race to the Top.

"We believe that given the competition that we're in, the advance of the research and the consensus around these types of things being needed for education reform and improvement in our country, that they are worthy of reconsideration," said Pawlenty.

The state teachers union has resisted many of the proposals. Rep. Mindy Greiling, DFL-Roseville, a leader on education issues in the House, said she's been trying to get the union to compromise.

"So, to have the governor poking the union in the eye one more time, when that's when we lost most points, is not helpful at all," she said.

Legislators have a joint House-Senate committee hearing planned Tuesday to discuss the proposed reform, as well as a second grant application.

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