Teaching Profession

State-Run School System Could Start Handing Out Big Bonuses

By The Associated Press — December 27, 2007 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

Teachers and principals at schools the state has taken over could earn big bonuses if they bring the schools up to certain standards.

The Recovery School District, which is running more than 30 public schools in New Orleans, could dole out bonuses of up to $3,000 to teachers and up to $5,000 to principals under the pay-for-performance plan largely based on test scores, officials said Wednesday.

The RSD took over many poorly performing public schools in New Orleans. It has turned some over to charter organizations and is running 34 itself.

See Also

See other stories on education issues in Louisiana. See data on Louisiana’s public school system. Also read New Orleans Schools: Recovery and Reform.

Under the plan, which still needs appoval from district officials, staff at elementary schools would get the bonuses if the school posts a state performance score—which is based on test scores, attendance and dropout rates — above 60, or a state assessment index—derived from test scores that make up the bulk of the performance score—above 55.

For high schools, the district sets the bar lower, at a performance score above 50 or an assessment index above 45.

Those scores represent the minimum the state expects from all schools; any school with a performance score below 60 falls into the state’s “academically unacceptable” category. Last year, the state didn’t award RSD schools a performance score because many couldn’t produce reliable dropout and attendance data. So the state instead released the “assessment index,” based only on test scores.

The state also did not reward or sanction any schools in hurricane-affected parishes, as it had previously done under its statewide accountability system.

Under the new plan from Recovery District Superintendent Paul Vallas, principals would receive up to $5,000. Assistant principals, along with reading and math coaches, would receive up to $4,000; teachers up to 3,000; and support staff up to $1,500 if the school achieves a certain performance score or assessment index. The state also plans a slightly lower scale of bonuses for schools that show at least 10 points of improvement, but only if the gains push the school’s score above 45 for elementary schools and above 40 for high schools.

Related Tags:

Copyright 2007 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Special Education Webinar
Big Goals, Small Start: Building MTSS to Scale
MTSS is a powerful framework for supporting student success, but implementation can be challenging. Learn from districts about their MTSS success stories and challenges.
Content provided by Panorama Education
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Recruitment & Retention Webinar
Exploring Staff Shortage Impact on Education
Learn about the impact of staff shortages, changing roles of educators, and how technology supports teachers & students.
Content provided by Promethean
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Assessment Webinar
Improving Outcomes on State Assessments with Data-Driven Strategies
State testing is around the corner! Join us as we discuss how teachers can use formative data to drive improved outcomes on state assessments.
Content provided by Instructure

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Teaching Profession Five Ways Teachers Are Spending Their Spring Break
Punxsutawney Phil may have seen his shadow, but springtime is almost here. See how teachers are spending spring break this year.
1 min read
Sunrise and bokeh over paddy rice field. Paddy field farming at sunrise.
iStock/Getty Images Plus
Teaching Profession Teachers of Color Are Most at Risk in Upcoming Layoffs, Report Says
They're more likely to be in their first few years of teaching—and let go under seniority-based layoff rules.
5 min read
Layoffs are illustrated by an oversized pair of scissors, that looms over seven teachers of color sitting in chairs suspended by strings. The teachers using their laptop computers and mobile devices.
DigitalVision/Vectors + EdWeek
Teaching Profession How Districts Can Support Teachers and Convince Them to Stay
Teachers want their voices heard in policy decisions that affect the classroom, panelists said.
4 min read
Virginia Teacher of the Year, Rodney Robinson, center right, smiles as he is honored on the floor of the Virginia House of Delegates as Del. Steven Landes, R-Augusta, left, applauds during the House session at the Capitol on Jan. 24, 2019. Robinson was named the 2019 National Teacher of the Year. He will spend the next year traveling around the country as an ambassador for education and an advocate for teachers and students.
Rodney Robinson of Virginia was the 2019 National Teacher of the Year. He spoke on a panel about the teaching profession at SXSW EDU in Austin on March 7.
Steve Helber/AP
Teaching Profession A Hotline for Educators: Advocacy Group Pledges Support in Midst of Ugly Politics
A nonpartisan group says it will offer educators a range of supports for educators accused of violating new restrictions on what can be taught in class.
6 min read
Protesters gather outside the Moms for Liberty National Summit, July 15, 2022, in Tampa, Fla. Republican groups that sought to get hundreds of “parents’ rights” activists elected to local school boards largely fell short in Tuesday’s elections. The push has been boosted by Republican groups including the 1776 Project PAC, but just a third of its roughly 50 candidates won.
Protesters gather outside the Moms for Liberty National Summit on July 15, 2022, in Tampa, Fla. A new effort by the Campaign for Our Shared Future seeks to serve as a counterweight to the group, offering support for educators who must navigate new laws prohibiting certain topics.
Lauren Witte/Tampa Bay Times via AP