Switching to a merit-based teacher-compensation system may have adverse, unintended consequences and should be researched thoroughly beforehand, a report recommends.
The report, produced by the Education Policy Research Unit, an initiative based at Arizona State University in Tempe, outlines the benefits and drawbacks of traditional, performance-based, and outcome-based pay systems. It suggests that before adopting a new pay system, districts should first assess the districts’ goals, explore how financial incentives may be used to meet those goals, and determine how effective the current system is in meeting those goals.
“The Promises and Pitfalls of Alternative Teacher Compensation Approaches” is posted by the Education Policy Research Unit.