Empowerment teachers get little something extra

By Emily Richmond

Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2007 | 7:16 a.m.

Pay bonuses - the kind of incentives that typically go to salespeople and chief exeutives - are now also going to about 250 Clark County School District teachers for jobs well done.

The bonuses will range from $250 to $1,200, and will go to teachers who worked at the district's four empowerment schools. The district hopes to include the bonuses in teachers' Aug. 25 paychecks.

By awarding fatter checks to some teachers, the district is dipping its toe into the pay-for-performance waters. The district is considering an expanded version of the program that might qualify for state funding.

The bonus for each teacher will range from 0.5 percent to 2 percent of his annual salary, depending on how well his school performed on criteria such as gains in student achievement, parental feedback, evaluations of the campus management and whether the school served large populations of at-risk children.

The scorecards that establish how each school measures up in the bonus column are calculated by officials in the School District's central office. The first-round bonus money will come out of the district's empowerment schools budget. Next year, the district will be eligible for state funds for teacher incentive pay in at-risk schools, which could potentially be used for staff at both empowerment schools and traditional campuses.

"Student achievement has to be the important thing and that is not negotiable," said Karlene McCormick-Lee, an associate superintendent who oversees the empowerment schools pilot program. "However, this was an opportunity to demonstrate the other things the district values - climate and working conditions, parent satisfaction and the quality of the campus management."

The empowerment schools pilot program, launched last year, gives principals greater autonomy in staffing, budget and instructional decisions, in exchange for greater accountability. Additionally, Superintendent Walt Rulffes pledged licensed personnel at those schools would be eligible for incentive pay of up to 2 percent of their salaries, based on a formula the teachers helped devise.

Although state law requires Nevada teachers receive a 5 percent pay increase if they complete national board certification, this is the first time the School District has attempted its own version of "pay for performance" on this scale.

Teacher bonuses have been awarded in various forms across the country for decades, with varying degrees of success.

Supporters of the model say the standard pay scale for teachers doesn't offer enough incentives for individuals to excel, or to stay in a profession where they are already undervalued. Opponents of pay-for-performance say the formulas rely too heavily on a principal's subjective assessment of teacher performance, and often force colleagues to compete against one another for a limited pot of funds.

"I don't see how it can be anything other than favoritism," said one Clark County teacher with more than 20 years ' classroom experience, who asked not to be identified. "Merit pay takes away your personality in teaching. You're going to do what the principal wants, even if it's not best for the kids. If you have a principal you don't get along with, you're done."

The teacher, who works at one of the district's empowerment schools, said the district's formula is reasonable. But she worries that the public's perception of school performance will be unduly influenced.

"If a school doesn't get the bonus, or another school gets more, the public perception will be that we didn't do our jobs," the teacher said. "The truth is there are wonderful things going on that can't be easily quantified for the purposes of the bonus pay equation."

Teachers at Antonello and Culley elementary schools will each receive 2 percent bonus es , the largest allowed as part of the empowerment model. Adams Elementary teachers will receive 1.5 percent and Warren Elementary teachers will receive 0.5 percent.

Instead of awarding different amounts to individual classroom teachers, the school's overall performance determined the bonus percentage given to everyone.

Schools were able to earn as many as 200 points in various categories. Student test scores accounted for 100 points, and schools that made "adequate yearly progress" under the federal No Child Left Behind Act received as many as 50 points.

Parent and student satisfaction surveys counted for 15 points, as did a working conditions survey completed by the staff.

Adams and Antonello each received full marks from parents and students, while Warren received six points and Culley , five.

Antonello's teachers were satisfied enough to earn the school the full 15 points, while Adams and Culley were just a step behind at 14 points. Warren , where a new principal began the year with only two returning teachers, received no points for the survey.

Warren also received the fewest points for student test score improvement - 11, compared with 100 for Culley, 63 for Antonello and 42 for Adams.

Mary Ella Holloway, president of the Clark County Education Association, said it's appropriate for all licensed personnel at the campus to share in the reward.

"The art teacher doesn't have a test to show they're accomplishing something in the classroom," Holloway said. "But everybody at the school, whether they're the art teacher or the librarian, has an impact on student performance."