• Teacher Absenteeism Down as Principals Get More Autonomy over Teacher Dismissal Decisions

  

  A recent study conducted by NCPI affiliated researcher Brian A. Jacob looked at what happened to teacher absenteeism when principals in Chicago Public Schools were given greater autonomy over teacher dismissal decisions. Ultimately, it informs the economic literatures on employment protection policies and teacher incentives. The paper also suggests that giving more autonomy to principals may alone be insufficient to change employment relations systemically. Other factors, such as school culture and supply and demand for teachers, influence principals’ willingness to experiment with nontraditional employment practices.

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News

• U.S. Department of Education Proposes Overhaul in 2010 Teacher Incentive Fund Guidelines

  As the U.S. Department of Education prepares to release the application for the 2010 Teacher Incentive Fund (TIF) grant competition, significant modifications have been proposed for the program’s guidelines.

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• Pay for Performance is Debated on Recent Episode of Ideas in Action

  A recent episode of Ideas in Action, a half-hour weekly series hosted by former Under Secretary of State Jim Glassman, focused on educator pay for performance. Featured guests included Cynthia G. Brown, James W. Guthrie, and Richard Rothstein.

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• New Partnership Between NCPI and Battelle for Kids

  The National Center on Performance Incentives has partnered with Battelle for Kids, a national, not-for-profit organization that provides strategic counsel and innovative solutions for complex challenges facing today’s public schools.

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Upcoming Events

• POINT Findings Scheduled for Release in 2010

• NCPI’s 3rd National Conference Scheduled for Fall 2010

Recent Publications

• White Paper Catalogues Design Features of TIF Grantees Reforms

  NCPI research associates Sara Heyburn and Jessica Lewis, along with Gary Ritter of the University of Arkansas, describe the design features of incentive pay plans developed by the first round of Teacher Incentive Fund grantees.

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• Working Paper Explores Incentive Design from the Perspectives of both Employer and Employee

  NCPI director Matthew G. Springer and affiliated researcher Lori L. Taylor of Texas A&M University study incentive pay design resulting from recent educator compensation reform in Texas.

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• Paper Adds Clarity to Interpretation of Value-Added Modeling

  In value-added modeling, where estimates of teacher fixed effects may be used for high stakes decisions, it is critical that analysts understand precisely how results can be applied and what parameters are being estimated by different routines.

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