Kasich draws teacher input for new merit-pay system

COLUMBUS (AP) — Gov. John Kasich says he wants Ohio teachers to take the lead on drawing a new merit-based system for paying them.

The governor met in north-central Ohio on Tuesday with seven teachers and a librarian who responded to his request for input from educators.

The Columbus Dispatch reports Kasich says one proposal offered during the meeting in Ashland was to have teachers evaluated by their counterparts from other schools. Another was to reward teachers who try to reach out to parents of students having trouble in class.

The newspaper reports the governor is gathering ideas from a steering committee of more than a dozen Ohio teachers. The new state budget calls for a new teacher grading system by the 2013-14 school year.