The May 2010 issue of Phi Delta Kappan focused on pay for performance and included several articles from NCPI researchers. “Teacher Pay for Performance: Context, Status, and Direction,” written by NCPI director Matthew Springer and center affiliate Catherine Gardner, explores the evolution of pay for performance in American education. NCPI affiliates Julia Koppich and Chris Hulleman also contributed articles featured in this issue.

The article begins with a brief history of teacher compensation, and then moves into a description of the ways in which pay for performance is different in its current context than in the past. It closes with a discussion of important considerations and next steps for future policy and practice.

“Teacher Unions and New Forms of Teacher Compensation,” written by NCPI consultant Julia Koppich, discusses the important role teacher associations must play in the design and implementation of pay for performance programs. An expert in teacher associations, Dr. Koppich states that district and union officials must agree on the purpose and goals of the pay for performance program. Moreover, the program must be based on credible measures of teacher performance, and backed by sufficient funding in order to be successful.

Finally, affiliate researcher Chris Hulleman contributes an article entitled, “Performance Pay and Teacher Motivation: Separating Myth from Reality,” that discusses common myths of pay for performance programs. The article answers five common questions about pay for performance programs. Do they improve student performance? Do they enhance educator motivation? Are they free from adverse side effects? If educators are already motivated and working as hard as they can, does performance pay work? And should performance pay strategies from other business sectors be applied to K-12 education?

Gary W. Ritter (University of Arkansas) and Susan Sclafani (National Center for Education and the Economy), both of whom were feature speakers at NCPI’s 2008 conference, contributed articles to the issue.