Accountability Hits New Heights - Brief Article

In a merit-pay pilot program without parallel in the United States, teachers in the mile-high city of Denver are having their compensation tied to student performance. The two-year experiment could enable the 450 participating teachers to earn as much as $1,500 above their slated annual salaries. If the program becomes permanent policy, salary increases across the school district would be based solely on classroom results, not on years of service or other traditional criteria.

Twelve elementary schools and three middle schools are taking part in the "pay for performance" program during the 1999-2000 school year. In 2000-2001 it will expand to include two high schools. School participation is voluntary, based on an 85 percent majority vote by the faculty. At the end of the trial period, the school district and the teachers' union will work together to evaluate the program, using criteria that include student performance on national standardized tests, before recommending performance standards for a permanent merit-based pay scale.

Brian Hanson--Harding is a writer and a teacher of English at Northern Valley Regional High School, in Old Tappan, NJ.

COPYRIGHT 2000 Scholastic, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group