COMMENTARY

March 2, 2005

EFF testimony regarding SB 5634: Verifying teacher degrees

Audio Link (courtesy of TVW): Windows Media | Real Audio
(EFF testimony runs from 1:00:01 to 1:02:52 using media player)

Marsha Richards | Evergreen Freedom Foundation
Good morning, Madam Chair and members of the Committee.

My name is Marsha Richards and I direct the Education Reform Center for the Evergreen Freedom Foundation. I appreciate the opportunity to address the committee and want to thank Sen. Mark Schoesler for the invitation.

Research completed in recent months by the Evergreen Freedom Foundation and an investigative reporter from Seattle uncovered the fact that some Washington teachers are using fake degrees to obtain salary increases. The fraud has resulted in illegitimate personal gain for individual teachers as well as adjustments and overpayments in salary schedules for entire school districts (see attached State Audit findings). It casts a poor light on the vast majority of teachers who work hard to earn legitimate degrees.

Senate Bill 5634 would address this problem by requiring the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to verify the legitimacy of all degrees claimed by teachers for the purpose of obtaining a salary increase—before a salary increase is provided. It would levy a fine of $300 on individuals who claim fraudulent degrees, and it would require reimbursement of extra wages gained from fraudulent degrees.

Contrary to statements made by OSPI staff, creating a system to track and verify degrees is not difficult. According to Alan Contreras of the Oregon Office of Degree Authorization, "determining whether a degree comes from an accredited institution is actually fairly easy. The idea that it is expensive and complicated . . . is not a sensible notion." Databases of U.S. accredited and unaccredited institutions already exist online.

SB 5634 would establish important protections for taxpayers. In addition, if one presumes that teacher quality is best determined by diplomas, it would provide important safeguards for students.

A more permanent solution to the problem of fraudulent teacher degrees would be to base teacher salaries on demonstrated student achievement (results) instead of "time in the seat and degrees on the wall." The state's current salary structure unfairly measures a teacher's value based on which slot she falls into on the salary grid and creates perverse incentives to defraud the system with false credentials.

A more flexible and professional salary model would benefit excellent teachers with higher pay, and would ensure students a highly qualified teacher in the classroom. It would remove any incentive to buy degrees from diploma mills.

Since this may not be politically possible right now, legislators certainly should require degree verification and ensure that the current salary structure is not abused.

Marsha Richards is director of the Education Reform Center for the Evergreen Freedom Foundation.

KXLY News 4: Teachers Found With Bogus, Paid-For Diplomas
KIRO 7 News: Teachers Profit From Illegitimate College Degrees

Contact: Marsha Richards | Education Reform Center Director | 360.956.3482

Evergreen Freedom Foundation P.O. Box 552, Olympia, WA 98507 Phone: (360) 956-3482, Fax: (360) 352-1874 Email: effwa@effwa.org