WELCOME

Welcome to the National Center on Performance Incentives (NCPI), a national research and development center for state and local policy at Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College. During the past several decades, policymakers have grown increasingly interested in innovative compensation plans, including performance-based pay for K-12 educators. Yet, efforts to reform pay have lacked grounding in a scholarly base of knowledge regarding the effectiveness of such plans. Educators, policymakers, and the greater public should know whether altering traditional compensation practices is an effective path to improving teaching and learning.

The purpose of the Center is to address one of the most contested questions in public education: Do financial incentives for teachers, administrators, and schools affect the quality of teaching and learning? NCPI’s work involves a series of rigorous research initiatives, including randomized field trials and evaluations of existing pay-for-performance programs. We are engaged in these research and development activities to inform both education policy and practice, and to improve teaching and learning within our nation’s public schools.

NCPI assembles a nationally-recognized, multi-disciplinary team of experienced research and policy experts, including specialists in social and behavioral science, statistical analysis, economic theory, and policy analysis. We are all committed to fair and rigorous research in an effort to provide the field of education with reliable knowledge to guide effective policy and practice.

NCPI is excited about the work ahead. We welcome you to learn more about us and our research activities as you explore our website.

Sincerely yours,
Matthew G. Springer
Director
National Center on Performance Incentives

The National Center on Performance Incentives is funded by a five-year, $10 million grant from the United States Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences. The grant is a cooperative agreement between the Institute of Education Sciences, the U.S. Department of Education, and Vanderbilt University.