There's been a lot of discussion about the need to shift how we compensate teachers from the traditional "steps and lanes," which rewards teachers for length of service, to performance-based pay systems that reward teachers for results.
Minnesota's foray into this admittedly controversial area is happening through "Quality Compensation for Teachers" or Q Comp.
Q Comp was proposed by Governor Pawlenty in January 2005 and approved by the State Legislature in July 2006.
Starting Points
Q Comp at the Minnesota Department of Education.
Educator Compensation Institute - Exploring and analyzing education employee compensation systems, workplace environments, and other pedagogical factors that affect student learning and school effectiveness.
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April 2007 - The Promises and Pitfalls of Alternative Teacher Compensation Approaches - Policy Brief warns policy makers against simplistic solutions, Education Policy Research Unit (EPRU) at ASU and Education and the Public Interest Center (EPIC) at CU-Boulder.
March 9, 2007 - Will better pay for teachers improve school quality? Gov. Pawlenty says Minnesota schools will enact reforms, like incentive pay for teachers, if provided grants. Two guests on Midmorning say schools across the country are experimenting with how to pay certain teachers more, and students appear to benefit, MPR Midmorning.
January 2006 - A Better Bargain: Overhauling Teacher Collective Bargaining for the 21st Century, Program on Education Policy & Governance, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.
November 2005 - Unintended Consequences: The Case for Reforming the Staffing Rules in Urban Teachers Union Contracts, The New Teacher Project (Press Release).
June 2005 - Innovating With Competitive Teacher Pay - State and local leaders are beginning to show a greater willingness to pay creatively, experimenting with knowledge and skills-based, performance, and differential pay for teachers, Democratic Leadership Council.
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