The US Department of Education’s fiscal year 2010 budget of $47.6 billion includes a $517 million allocation dedicated to the Teacher Incentive Fund that rewards principals, teachers, and other school personnel who improve student achievement , close achievement gaps, and work hard to build staff in schools.
School districts across the country will compete for the billions of dollars at stake. They will showcase their great schools, exemplary teachers, and innovative ideas. There is no doubt that the stimulus money will go a long way toward school reform. For years, school districts have shown they have innovative ideas, but without proper funding, those ideas never come to fruition.
Innovation and change must be energized with an incentive and reward to replenish the resources of ingenuity, commitment, and creativity. Only in public education is going the extra mile, a donation expected from a dedicated few.
It is empowering to be recognized for turning gang-infested schools from a strong hold of the socially handicapped into havens where students can remediate themselves to achieve academically. Yes, cabinets and pats on the back feel good; but, they don’t buy anything. Why are educators the only missionaries walking the paths of the underachievers, pushing them to the highest places with perhaps a brief notation in the annual evaluation of their doings and failings in the educational workplace?
When an inspired teacher or administrator makes a difference in average annual achievement, a reward is more than appropriate. It is fully won by having the tools to allow the struggling student to complete a messed up set of tools.
Based on state funding tables issued by the U.S. Department of Education, Colorado is expected to receive $33,845,209 in Recovery Act funds for schools identified for improvement, corrective action, and restructuring under Title I. This is expected to money comes into play this fall.
If past history is any indicator, the incentive program will be a success. Programs like the Absence Approach to Addiction recognized by the National Interagency Drug Institute and the U.S. Department of Education helped an academically struggling high school go from low attendance and faltering graduation rates to change status celebrated by its top recipient of Outstanding Individual in School recognition and celebrated by the state governor. This scenario of change was encouraged by external financing. This shows the dynamic effects special backgrounds can have.
The rewards earned from the Teacher Incentive Fund will provide a great opportunity to improve schools through hard work and innovation. However, the real winners will be the children.