Districts implemented most components of the performance-based compensation system throughout all four years, but fewer than half planned to keep offering performance bonuses once the grant ended¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · causal r? · q2
Currency · newest study 2017 · checked against its sources 2026-10-08 (automated, 1 of 1 entry) · not reviewed by a person · overdue for a recheck since 2020: local conditions change quickly

Subclaims¶

q2 i? Districts typically implemented most components of the performance-based compensation system throughout all four years of their programs, yet fewer than half the districts planned to keep offering performance bonuses after the grant ended. → Hanley Chiang 2017

Evidence¶

Hanley Chiang 2017¶

Hanley Chiang, Cecilia Speroni, Mariesa Herrmann, Kristin Hallgren, Paul Burkander, Alison Wellington. (2017). Evaluation of the Teacher Incentive Fund: Final Report on Implementation and Impacts of Pay-for-Performance Across Four Years. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences. https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/pubs

q2 · i? · causal · r?

The report's implementation findings state that "Districts typically implemented most components of the performance-based compensation system throughout all four years," but fewer than half planned to continue bonuses once the grant was over. No effect size applies to this descriptive finding.

"Districts typically implemented most components of the performance-based compensation system throughout all four years of their programs. However, fewer than half the districts planned to keep offering performance bonuses once the grant was over."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Few districts structured pay-for-performance bonuses to align well with TIF grant guidance — related
• The average TIF bonus was about 4% of average teacher salary, below the 5% recommended by TIF grant guidance for substantial bonuses — related
• Some aspects of TIF implementation improved between years one and two while others, including bonus awareness, remained challenging — related
• Traditional salary schedules may not reward effective teaching or give the most effective teachers incentives to work in high-need schools, motivating performance-based compensation — related
• On average, states required less than half of eight RTT-aligned teacher evaluation policies, though RTT states required more of these policies than non-RTT states — related
• Eight early-adopting districts use alternative measures of teacher effectiveness in evaluation or performance-related compensation systems — related
• After the first year of implementation, fewer than half of 2010 TIF districts implemented all four required program components for teachers, though a large majority implemented at least three — related
• Fewer than half of districts implemented all four required components of TIF, making full implementation challenging — related
• Eight of 10 districts planned to continue refining and using classroom observation tools after finding them a firm priority for understanding implementation — related