chanel
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Paying teachers bonuses to improve student test scores may not work after all, according to a new study researchers say is the first scientifically rigorous test of merit pay.
Vanderbilt University researchers studied a program in Nashville that offered bonuses of $5,000 to $15,000 to middle school math teachers if their students scored higher than expected on a statewide exam, according to a report released today.
After three years, the program proved to be a bust, the study said. Except for some temporary gains, students did not progress any faster in classrooms where teachers were offered bonuses.
The small study could be a cautionary flag to the Obama administration and state governments including New Jersey that consider tying teacher pay to students academic performance as a central piece of their education reform efforts.
Merit pay for teachers who improve students scores may not work, research shows | NJ.com