Study: Teacher bonuses raise results

NewImageWho knew! Bonuses raise results! </sarcasm>

Teacher performance pay is linked to a slightly better math and reading results in a new federal study reports Liana Loewus in Education Week.

Mathematica Policy Research evaluated Teacher Incentive Fund grants in low-income schools. The new reportfinds that students’ math and reading scores were 1 to 2 percentile points higher in schools that offered pay-for-performance bonuses, “the equivalent of about four weeks of additional learning.”

Although it was supposed to be difficult to qualify for a bonus, 70 percent of teachers received extra pay.  The average bonus was about $2,000, but the amounts varied widely.

The Gates Foundation isshifting its focus away from evaluating teachers’ effectiveness, Bill Gatesannouncedin October. However, 39 states now use students’ test score growth and other objective measures toevaluate teachers, writes Loewus.

Right-Mind