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By a vote of eight to one today, a Senate committee has approved legislation ending teacher tenure and creating performance or merit pay. But many questions remain over how the measure will be implemented.

Last year lawmakers were lambasted because they left teachers out of the merit pay discussions.  Today’s meeting began at 8:00 EST and lasted two hours, a time when most public school teachers are at work. Rewarding teachers who do a good job or getting rid of those who don’t, is a top legislative priority. Legislation creating merit pay and ending tenure cleared a key committee by an 8 to 1 vote.  Afterwards, the bills sponsor and the lone no vote talked it over. “Its kind of a racist thing; black kids or the poor kids can’t do well,”said Sen. Stephen Wise of Jacksonville.

Lakeland’s Paula Dockery is concerned the bill doesn’t take into consideration the conditions at a students home. “The fact that they list socio-economic status is something can not be considered. I think we should work on that,” she said.

One of the biggest problems is that there is just no cash for merit pay. Left unanswered are questions about where the money will come from to pay for new tests and the money to pay teachers more. Even the bills sponsor says finding the cash isn’t his job.

“It would really go into effect in 2014. By then I think that the appropriations committee will have to deal with it. I’m not going to be here in 2014, said Sen. Wise. But the Florida Education Association says the money can only come from one place. Andy Ford, FEA President says, “We could be looking at the end of art, music, physical education. We could be looking at cuts in athletics. Anything that does not fall in line with the accountability system could be on the cutting block.”

The legislation is on a fast track to be one of the first bills passed by lawmakers when their session begins in March.