U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan stopped by Tallahassee Community College on Wednesday to talk workforce education, and found himself facing questions about a variety of education topics, including FCAT and teacher pay.

Duncan said he envisions first-year teachers making $60,000 — and the best and brightest drawing salaries in excess of $150,000, the Buzz reports.

He would also like to see financial incentives for teachers who take jobs in struggling schools — or who teach high-demand subjects like math and science.

"We've been doing the wrong thing by teachers and the education profession for so long," he said.

Some participants in the town hall meeting spoke up against the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Tests, saying the exams discourage teachers from being creative and students from thinking critically.

Duncan said assessments ought to be viewed as safety nets, not weapons. But he conceded that exams "need to be meaningful" to be useful.