Center for Teaching Quality publishes report on pay for performance

CTQ recently produced a report on recommendations for reforming teacher pay. The twist here is that the report was co-authored by 18 award-winning teachers. The thing that warms my heart is the acknowledgment that while the focus for all kids must be high achievement, the reality on the ground is that only high rates of growth will get them there. The group recommends fairly comprehensive systems of performance measurements in all grades and subjects. They also recommend incentives for accumulating relevant skills (pay for course work related to district goals) and for knowledge transfer (pay for high growth teacher to work at the school or district level to hand on that ability).

Here are the high points:

1. Get the base-pay system right.
2. Supplement the base-pay system with a performance-pay system that is open to all teachers.
3. Reward teachers who help their students make significant academic gains.
4. Provide additional pay for additional degrees and professional development, but only if the training is relevant.
5. Allow local flexibility.
6. Encourage collaboration.
7. Offer incentives to teachers who want to teach in high-needs, low-performing schools, but only if they’re qualified.
8. Reward leadership, not seniority.
9. Be brave, be bold.
10. Finally, make sure to include accomplished teachers in any efforts to overhaul your teacher compensation plans.

Chris