Despite tough economic times for the country's public schools, teachers in Washington are beginning to see large pay increases thanks to the district's new merit-based evaluation system. Now considered the nation's most advanced merit pay system for public school educators, the District of Columbia Public Schools gave hefty bonuses to 476 of its 3,600 teachers this past fall. Eric A. Hanushek, a professor of economics at Stanford University, told the New York Times that programs such as the one in Washington, known as Impact Plus, will help keep more teachers in the profession longer. "The most important role for incentives is in shaping who enters the teaching profession and who stays," Hanushek told the news agency. "Washington’s incentive system will attract talented teachers, and it’ll help keep the best ones." Under the system, teachers who are rated "highly effective" can earn bonuses of between $2,400 to $25,000, but must also sign away some job security provisions provided under their union contracts. Teachers who earn the high rating two years in a row are eligible for large permanent pay raises, regardless of years experience on their resume. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, job opportunities for teachers are expected to increase by 13% through 2018. |