It very simple to do this, look at history. The students SAT scores keep going in the crapper, more so every year. Then look at teacher's pay incresses. The more teachers get paid, the lower the kids scores go.
The answer is to, dump dealing with the union and pay teachers lower wages. If they want to walk out, let them and hire new teachers. With the economy tanking finding good people will not be very hard. After all, the teachers suck, raw truth be told.

finding good teachers is hard its not all about the pay its a lot of heart.

If you actually looked at history, you would know that the SAT is more difficult than it was in 1975. You would also know that a larger number of students and a more diverse population is taking it.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/29/education/29SAT.html
http://homepage.eircom.net/~seaghan/articles/12.htm

Several teachers are leaving Kellogg High School in Kellogg, Idaho. Many said they will not be returning next year to teach in this state. The pay is ridiculously low for teachers and telling teachers that they need to give up tenure in order to get a pay bonus, instead of a critically needed pay raise shows the stupidity of the Idaho Legislature and its antiquated ways.

Schools in the north are literally falling apart with decay. Counties are continually forced to look for funding by way of levies, instead of being properly funded by the state. Funds are stolen from the general fund for things like road repairs, but then those repairs never actually take place. Over 500 million dollars were redirected by the Idaho state legislature, yet nobody says a word. ISAT scores have nothing to do with reality, or the condition of our schools, or how well students are being taught.

All in all, education in Idaho is a joke. Especially in the north. You all try getting your child into a college and see just how bad Idaho education is looked upon. The Idaho legislature and Governor are leading Idaho education right over a cliff.

Pretty much the only lesson in Idaho school history one needs to remember is that it was *never* a priority and it still is not. Mining companies are down in Mexico and Russia making a killing on killing the existing residents, just like they did here in Idaho. Forests are shrinking and the timber industry is all but dead. So I'm pretty sure that Idaho is going to need a real educational system in place.

The real criminals are the ones who steal from our children and their education. Taking away any chance of Idaho moving out of the 19th century.

What the teachers need is the respect that used to come with the position (i.e. back when salaries were lower). Actually, our society could use a good dose of respect, but that is another soapbox. One of the reasons schools are having a difficult time meeting expectations and our country as a whole is having trouble meeting expectations is that the schools and country are constantly being told how bad they are and how worthless they are and how big-headed they are and what miserable failures they are and what a joke they are and ... and... and .....Well, you get my point. People might have considered it "unreal" or "propaganda" in the 50s when nice families were shown on TV and the media and government tried to focus on the positive and promote the good things, but at least it resulted in people feeling good about things and the production was far greater and things were actually Made in America. Cold,hard,dark honesty isn't working out too well. But hey, at least were "real" now. Oops, sorry, getting of topic again. Bring back the respect and allow the schools to demand and show respect and see the results.