Performance Pay in Arizona

Marana Unified School District

Tucson, Arizona

Marana Unified School District

Located in south central Arizona16 miles northwest of downtown Tucson550 square miles (rural and urban)

More than 12,200 students15 Schools & 2 Alternative Programs5 Title One Schools5 A+ Schools3 National Blue Ribbon Schools

The Beginning: Spring 2001

MEA and Administration met and agreed on a process for developing policy

Design Team was established 1 teacher from each school 1 administrator from each level Elected Chairperson District provided clerk for group

The meetings began!

Definition of Teacher

District Administration defined “teacher” based on the Attorney General’s opinion published on June 21, 2001: “The teacher compensation increases through CSF are not limited to traditional classroom teachers. Certificated teachers, certified teachers, and others employed to provide instruction to students on matters related to the school’s educational mission are eligible for the increases in compensation.”

The Process used for PBP Policy Development

All day training for team membersProvided same information for all Developed common vocabularyClarified our roles and responsibilitiesEstablished climate within the teamBuilt consensus on guiding principles

Guiding Principles

The plan should be one part of a total District effort to improve instruction and enhance student achievement throughout the District.

Staff

Developm

ent

TeacherEvaluation

Performance

Pay

Pupil ProgressionPlan

Curricu

lum

Management

T

eam

ReportCard

Student

Achievement

Guiding Principles, continued

The policy should encourage cooperation and collaboration among teachers at each school and throughout the District.All eligible teachers should have the opportunity to qualify for performance pay, even if the area or level they teach is not the specific area targeted for improvement.The policy should establish guidelines, but allow for some flexibility for each school to select a goal that is appropriate for their learning community.

Guiding Principles, cont.

All certificated employees at a site should be involved in selecting goals for the site.

Every effort should be made to develop a District PBP Policy that allows the money available to go to teachers who are eligible to receive performance pay, keeping the costs required for administration and implementation to a minimum.

Performance-Based Pay Plan Structures

Knowledge/Skills3-5 years to developIndividual performanceRequires a year to qualifyExtensive teacher evaluationBonus payment or regular salary

Group/Site-Based

3-6 months to develop

Group performance

Building/Site plan

Student assessment

Bonus payment

No pre-qualification

What is performance-based pay?

Performance-based pay is a type of contingency pay arrangement in which an employee can earn additional compensation for attainment of a specified goal or goals. The goals are clearly stated and developed with input by those affected. The goals can be individual, group, school site, or district level.

Attorney General’s Opinion, 2/15/01: “…school district governing boards were given the sole authority to determine the factors upon which Classroom Site Fund teacher performance increases could be based.”

Performance-Based Pay

Bridge Plan PolicyFor

2001-2002

Payment of Performance-Based Compensation

2001-2002

Two payouts:

Mid-year: December or January

Near end of school year

Site-based Performance Pay Plans 2002-2003

Review all available student achievement data.Select one area that coincides with Arizona Academic Standards for improvement.Develop a Performance Pay Plan that: Includes timelines, tasks to be completed, and

identifies group responsible for task completion Involves all teachers school-wide Has been approved by a majority of teachers at

the site

Site-based Performance Pay Plans, cont.

Submit Plan to PBP Design Team for approval

Implement Plan

Submit Summary and Evaluation of Site Plan to the Design Team no later than May 1

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2002 AIMS Writing Scores

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2002 AIMS Math Scores

Payment of Performance Pay2002-2003

One lump sum payment in May or June to all eligible teachers

Equal amount for each full-time, fully eligible teacher, as defined by the Attorney General

Amount prorated based on time employed under a teaching contract

Eligibility Issues

Teachers must participate in the development and implementation of the Performance Pay Plan and provide instruction on a regular basis to receive the maximum amount of performance pay allocated per teacher.

Teachers with Emergency Certificates are eligible for PBP.

Substitute Teachers are not eligible for PBP.

More Eligibility Issues

Performance Pay is prorated proportionate to the amount of time employed under a teaching contract for teachers who work less than full-time.Teachers on loan outside the District and teachers on full-time release from their teaching assignment are not eligible for PBP.Teachers who are in Component 3 or Component 4 of the Teacher Evaluation System for any portion of the year are not eligible for any PBP for the entire year.

Even More Eligibility Issues

Teachers must work a minimum of 45 teacher report days or fulfill the terms of their teaching contract to be eligible for performance pay.

Performance pay will be prorated for absences unrelated to professional responsibilities in excess of 20 days per year. (Certain exclusions apply.)

Performance Pay Design Team

Each full-sized school elects a representative for a three-year term.Staggered schedule has been developed for rotation of elections with five schools electing their representative each year.Representatives may be elected to consecutive terms.Representatives receive a stipend of $2000 per year.Chairperson is also a school representative and receives an additional $2000 per year.

Advantages of MUSD’s Policy

Designed and managed by teachers, in cooperation with other stakeholdersContributes to a positive school climate and a culture of working together to enhance student achievementAll teachers are involved and eligible for performance payMinimal cost required for management of the program---the money goes to teachers, as intended

Disadvantages Of MUSD’s Policy

Same dollar amount for all full-time, fully eligible teachers

DAPs need major revisions---do not evaluate the same performance objectives from one year to the next

AIMS continues to evolve

Current Endeavors

This year we are:Addressing additional eligibility issuesRevising payout timelinesDeveloping provisions for schools labeled

“underperforming” or “failing”Developing ongoing Policy instead of

Phase IIIContinuing efforts to communicate

complexities of performance pay to all constituents

Concerns

Changes in composition of MUSD’s Governing Board Legislative interferencePossible decrease in money available for Classroom Site Fund as a result of the economy and “overpayment” of CSF amounts to school districts in the first two yearsESEA and AZ LEARNS methods of evaluating schools are not currently congruent, thus sending mixed messages to stakeholders.

When dealing with teacher compensation paradigms . . . . . shifts happen!