Teacher Qualifications and CATS scores Dakota Sherek Contrary to the popular belief that student performance depends

upon how qualified their teachers are, a comparison of publicly available data shows no correlation between teacher qualifications and CATS scores. 2008 CATS scores compared with the average salary each individual nonmagnet high school pays their teachers shows no correlation; and no correlation is found in the 2008 CATS scores compared to the percent of each schools teachers with a masters degree or higher (also from year 2008). The amount teachers are paid depends upon their experience and qualifications. The higher paid a teacher is the more qualified they are and the more experience they have. The salary amounts and CATS scores were both found on Courier Journals website. The percentages of teachers with a masters degree or higher for each of the sixteen schools in the year 2008 was found on JCPS Databook, which was also found online. The average salaries ranged from the lowest amount of $48,433.79 (Valley High School) to the highest amount of $58287.42 (Ballard). The rate of each schools percent of teachers with a masters degree or higher ranged from 60.78% (Valley) to 93.18% (Seneca). Neither showed any correlation when compared to CATS test scores of 2008. Eastern High School had the highest CATS scores of 2008 at a 90.4 and the average salary is $51,686.09. Western had the lowest CATS scores of 2008 at a 54.9 yet the average salary is just below Easterns at $49,676.47. When comparing Eastern and Western High Schools percentage of teachers with a masters degree or higher in 2008 the gap is slightly bigger, but Western actually had a higher percentage with 87.37% while Eastern only had 83.17%. Many schools with lower test scores than Eastern have a higher average salary such as Jeffersontown High School which in 2008 had the CATS score of 71.1 and the average salary of $57,012.20. Twelve out of the sixteen schools researched had a higher average salary than Eastern.

Half of the sixteen schools had a higher percentage of teachers with a masters degree or higher than Eastern in 2008-09. The only school out of all sixteen that seemed to have any correlation whatsoever was Valley High School which had the fourth from the lowest CATS score of 62.9 out of the sixteen schools and had not only the lowest average salary rate, but also by far the lowest percentage of teachers with a masters degree or higher. Valleys percentage of teachers with a masters degree or higher was 60.78% in 2008; the percentages of that same year preceded to jump roughly 14% to 74.42% (Shawnee). However, in consideration of all sixteen schools there is no correlation between CATS scores and teacher qualifications. When Larry Wooldridge, the principal of duPont Manual high school was asked if he was surprised by these results his response was Not at all. He continued saying I think there are other factors that are more important. One of the factors he named was student motivation. Early in 2010 the House Bill 176 was passed. Not only were the six lowest performing schools determined by the state (using test scores) but also how to improve them. In the Bill 176 four options for improving one of these six schools (four of which are high schools) is given; including the ability for the Kentucky Board of Education to replace at least half of each schools faculty. Dr. Houston Barber, the principal of Fern Creek high school (one of the audited schools), was quoted in a Courier Journal article as saying I am not worried about me (being replaced), I am worried about the teachers. I want them to know that I value the contributions they have made. Its about the kids, we have to do whats best for our kids. In the end, that is what is important. Despite the fact that the data shows no correlation between teacher qualifications and test scores, in total 120 teachers were replaced or moved from their schools during the past summer due to the reforms that were based upon test scores.