Governor Wants to Pay Teachers More to Work at Poorly Performing Schools

Schwarzenegger said he remained committed to paying public school teachers based on their performance rather than years of service. Such a "merit pay" system, which the governor wants voters to approve through an initiative, has been fiercely opposed by teachers unions. Through another initiative, he proposes to make it harder for teachers to get tenure job protections.

But in a signal that he wanted to work directly with the Legislature on the issue, Schwarzenegger said he wanted teachers to get so-called "combat pay," a term he acknowledged was controversial because it equates some schools to war zones. The Republican governor said he would propose, when he unveils a revised state budget in May, paying teachers more money if they move to low-performing schools.

The governor's comments came at a news conference where he characterized reports of infighting among his top advisors as just "drama." And he defended his wife, Maria Shriver, who is said to now play a larger role, as an integral part of his administration. He said that "a lot of times women are smarter than guys" and that it would be foolish to reject Shriver's advice on public policy.

During an appearance in Chatsworth, Shriver dismissed reports that she was worried about recent political missteps by her husband and his aides. "I'm not trying to save an administration that doesn't need to be saved," she told reporters. "This is an administration that has a clear idea where it's going."

Schwarzenegger acknowledged that extra money for teachers would not be a panacea at low-performing schools. The administration, he said, may propose more money for textbooks and materials and find ways to remove bad principals. He did not say where he would get the money.

"I think our inner-city schools have been getting the short end of the stick," Schwarzenegger said. "I think they have been disadvantaged tremendously with the lack of books they are getting, the lack of homework material

Schwarzenegger believes he can offer more money for teachers in specific districts because the state's budget picture is looking brighter -- at least this year. The $8.6-billion budget shortfall projected last January is shrinking because extra tax revenues are flowing into the state and because a successful tax amnesty program is expected to add another $2.7 billion.