Ohio Graduation Test: Incentive Pay for Teachers?

ABC World News ran a segment back in December 2006 asking for opinions from Internet users and television viewers: Should teachers be rewarded with cash bonuses for improving students' test scores? You can read the whole article by clicking on the link above.

The Ohio Graduation Test is a vital part of all Ohio School Districts. Students must pass The Ohio Graduation test in order to graduate. Because scores on standardized tests such as the Ohio Graduation Test are such an important part of school district assessment nationwide the federal government is starting a teacher incentive fund for schools in at risk areas. The fund will pay cash bonuses to teachers who help students improve test scores. There are twenty three other states and the District of Columbia that are trying similar plans for rewarding their teachers with cash bonuses when the students test scores improve.

The Department of Education recently launched the first federal program to use bonuses to motivate teachers in helping students raise test scores in at risk area, and awarded the first $42 million of the $94 million Teacher Incentive Fund in November 2006.
They talked to a third grade teacher at Lyons Elementary School in Houston what she thought about this. She said “If you work at a large company … you receive performance pay, so I believe teachers deserve incentive pay.” At her school, 95 percent of children live at the poverty level, but Lyons Elementary School is still considered an exemplary school.

Others believe these grants will promote unhealthy competition in a profession that thrives on teamwork and collaboration, and that real learning is the casualty they feel teachers will shift their focus from quality instruction to just boosting test scores in order to get the bonus.

Could this incentive make teachers do even more to help Ohio students’ prepare for the Ohio Graduation Test? Or do you think it would cause more problems? Is this incentive a good thing?