Concerned about nine city schools on Tennessee's watch list for poor academic performance, Mayor Bob Corker of Chattanooga was determined to come up with a way to bring in a critical mass of high performing teachers to transform the culture of low expectations and low achievement in these schools-and keep them there. An advisory group appointed by the mayor, the Community Education Alliance, worked with two local foundations to develop a pay incentive program that will reward teachers and principals in those schools who raise academic achievement, as measured by the Tennessee Value-Added Assessment System. Since the mayor does not run the school system, he took the innovative plan to the City Council, which quickly embraced it and voted unanimously to fund the program for three years. Teachers currently at the nine schools who have a record of high performance-teachers whose students have gained 115% of a grade level (i.e., 115% of a full year's progress) for each of the past three years-will receive an annual bonus of $5,000 for three years, as will teachers with a record of high performance at other schools who agree to teach in one of the nine schools. If any of the nine high-priority schools demonstrates a gain of 115% of a grade level schoolwide, the principal of that school will receive a $10,000 bonus and every teacher in that school will receive $1,000. If the gain is 120% of a grade level, every teacher will receive a bonus of $2,000. According to an article in the Chattanooga Times Free Press, state and local teacher union officials are criticizing the plan, which they say will create divisiveness among teachers, and insisting that nothing related to salary can be implemented unless it is negotiated at the bargaining table.
"Teachers at at-risk schools may get bonuses," by Duane Gang, Chattanooga Times Free Press, March 13, 2002 (requires free registration)
"Teacher incentives a first step," by Wes Hasden, Chattanooga Times Free Press, March 14, 2002 (requires free registration)
"Teachers' unions see plan flaws," by Beverly Carroll and Duane Gang, Chattanooga Times Free Press, March 14, 2002 (requires free registration)
"Teachers want city to spend on programs, not salaries," by Beverly Carroll, Chattanooga Times Free Press, March 15, 2002 (requires free registration)
"Community Education Alliance Proposal Fact Sheet," March 12, 2002
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In another philanthropic effort to reward effective urban schools, a foundation created by billionaire Eli Broad announced this week that it will award $500,000 in college scholarships to an urban school district that significantly raises test scores while reducing the achievement gap between whites and minorities. For details, see "Mogul offers reward for urban school improvement," by Tamara Henry, USA Today, March 15, 2002.