Teacher prep, pay hikes targeted

• Pawlenty

Gov. Tim Pawlenty announces the Minnesota delegation’s presidential nomination vote total Thursday at the Republican National Convention. Also pictured is U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., and state GOP Chairman Ron Carey.

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ST. PAUL — Teacher salary increases should be tied to student achievement and the quality of school instruction needs to improve, Gov. Tim Pawlenty said while touting his first batch of 2009 legislative proposals.

The governor Tuesday unveiled a plan similar to previous education reform attempts that adds accountability to teacher pay, strengthens teacher training and starts an educational boot camp of sorts for struggling students.

Half of Minnesota’s 50,000 teachers will be eligible to retire within the next 15 years, so this is a good time to reform the public teaching system, Pawlenty said. He applauded Minnesota’s teaching force, but said more can be done to attract new recruits and improve current teachers’ instruction.

“This is not a criticism of teachers,” he said of his plan. “This is not teacher-bashing in any respect.”

The Republican governor wants lawmakers to consider his Teacher Transformation Act and other reform ideas when they return to the Capitol in January to write a new state budget. Most of the proposals will not cost more money, he said.

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