Design and Implementation Considerations for Alternative Teacher Compensation Programs

Abstract

Over the past decade, educators and policymakers have used a variety of approaches to designing and implementing teacher compensation programs. These approaches include federal incentive funds, state-level programs, and district initiatives. This article reviews 6 such programs in order to identify themes and draw conclusions relevant to educators, researchers and policymakers, including programs in Minnesota, Florida, New Mexico, Denver, Austin, and Houston.

The programs varied in a number of ways, including the policy context in which they were conceived, how teachers were involved in program design, how accomplished teaching was defined, how specific program elements were used to reward teachers, and how student growth was rewarded. Two factors seemed to increase the success of programs in building teacher buy-in and in remaining sustainable: incorporating teachers at early stages of development, and basing teacher compensation on a range of elements in addition to standardized test scores.

Notes

1. For a more detailed description discussion of this program, see Lussier and Forgione (this issue).