Assessing Accomplished Teaching: Advanced-Level Certification Programs
National Research Council of the National Academics
June 11, 2008
In its newest report, the National Research Council indicates that students taught by educators certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards make bigger gains on standardized tests than students taught by other teachers. It is not clear from the research whether the process of getting certified by the national board makes teachers better or if those who get certified were already top performers. More research is needed.
Link to NBPTS Website for More Info
Carlson Speaks to Washington Task Force
April 14, 2008
On Monday April 14, ECI President Jim Carlson delivered a presentation to the Washington State Joint Task Force on Basic Education Finance. Invited by the state's Institute for Public Policy after a recommendation from the Washington Education Association, Jim reviewed the national landscape of alternative compensation, shared his assertions regarding the effectiveness and appropriateness of each type of system, identified his six guiding principles and four objectives, and explained a potentially sound structure for future alternative approaches to teacher pay.
Transcript of Jim's Comments
Task Force Website
April 2, 2008 – Economic Policy Institute
Compared to Other Countries, U.S. Flunks in Teacher Pay
Recent research has highlighted the important role of teachers in fostering student achievement. However, the United States lags significantly behind other countries in teacher compensation, which adversely impacts efforts to recruit high-quality teachers.
March 20, 2008 – Vail Daily
Eagle County to Overhaul Teacher Pay
The Eagle County, Colorado Teacher Advancement Program (TAP) has long been viewed as one of the nation’s most successful performance pay systems for teachers. In practice, however, the program has been unfair, inconsistent, hard to understand, and a constant worry for many teachers, says Jason Glass, the human resources director for the district. When pay becomes a preoccupation and morale goes down, education suffers, school leaders have said.
March 7, 2008 – New York Times
New York Charter School to Pay $125,000
The Equity Project, a New York City charter school scheduled to open in 2009 is promising to pay its teachers $125,000 plus a potential bonus based on school-wide performance. The school’s founder and first principal, Zeke M. Vanderhoek, believes that high salaries will bring the best teachers. He asserts that such teachers will drive student success. “I would much rather put a phenomenal, great teacher in a field with 30 kids and nothing else than take the mediocre teacher and give them half the number of students and give them all the technology in the world,” said Mr.. Vanderhoek. Also drawing interest from observers is the school’s plan to pay the principal just $90,000.
The Equity Project (TEP)
New Release of ECI Monthly
Houston Independent School District Merit Pay Plan
The Teacher Performance Pay Model - Two Years Later
The new issue of ECI Monthly examines the merit pay plan first implemented by the Houston Independent School District in 2006. The report explains the plan and the events that have transpired around its implementation.
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Jim Carlson, President
The Educator Compensation Institute is a non-profit organization founded to serve as the comprehensive information clearinghouse and research organization for issues related to education employee compensation, including teacher compensation, alternative compensation, and "pay-for-performance."