Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management

Panel: The Impact of Differential Pay Incentives on Educator and Student Outcomes

(Education)

This panel presents evidence on the impact of performance bonuses and differential pay on educator outcomes (such as teacher recruitment, retention, and job satisfaction), student outcomes (such as student math or reading achievement), or both. The Obama Administration’s support of educator reform policies through programs such as the Race to the Top Initiative and the Teacher Incentive Fund have encouraged many states and school districts to reform how educators are evaluated and compensated. This panel includes four papers that provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of compensation programs that provide pay incentives to high performing educators or educators in hard-to-fill positions to affect educators’ behaviors and effectiveness, and ultimately, student achievement. They also inform program development and the improvement of teacher incentive programs.