Teacher-Incentive Plans Geared to Bonuses for Individuals

Philadelphia, Guilford County, N.C., and four small districts in northern New Mexico have scooped up the last of the $42 million in federal grant money on offer this fall for rewarding teachers and principals who get higher student test scores in needy schools.

The U.S. Department of Education announced the final three winners Nov. 3, bringing the total number of Teacher Incentive Fund grants to 16. If each of the grants is financed for the projected five years—something that depends both on the department’s budget and the grantees’ performance—the awards will be worth some $241 million.

Another round of grants from the new, $99 million fund are expected to...