Pay for performance is becoming commonplace in the business world. Pay raises and bonuses are often based on how well one performs on the job or on achieving specific results. However, this is not the case in education. Pay levels are typically based on years of experience and levels of education rather than on teacher effectiveness. As concerns about the quality of the nation's educational systems frequently appear in the news, one of the solutions suggested has been a pay for performance system for teachers. Interestingly, these programs are often met with resistance from teachers and teachers' unions. This paper will examine the effectiveness of such programs and the disadvantages for employers and employees.
Pay for performance programs are designed to compensate teachers based on how well their students perform or on observed behaviors in the classrooms (Chait & Miller, 2009). One of the keys to the success of these programs is tailoring the compensation program to the needs of the local school organization. According to Chait & Miller, some programs add performance incentive bonuses to a standard salary structure, while others replace a seniority-based pay schedule with a pay for performance schedule. Additionally, performance incentives may be based on individual, collective, or a combination of individual and collective performance.
Chait & Miller (2009) assert that while teachers often claim in surveys that working conditions are more important than pay, when actually offered the choice, teachers chose an increase in pay. In a survey cited by Chait & Miller, 82.7% of teachers surveyed in...
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