Many Teacher Incentive Fund Applications Rejected

The U.S. Department of Education will award this year less than half the money appropriated to pay bonuses to principals and teachers whose students perform better on tests and meet tough academic goals.

Officials of the department, which has $99 million in the Teacher Incentive Fund, said they planned to announce 16 grants adding up to $42 million by early this week. Another $43.1 million will be awarded in the spring, said Amanda Farris, a deputy assistant secretary in the office of elementary and secondary education.

Ms. Farris said the states and school districts that will receive the grants submitted applications that met the program’s overarching goals of raising student achievement and driving teachers into high-needs schools. She would not divulge the names...