This booklet examines the premises, practicalities, history, and politics of merit pay for teachers. A discussion of the current context of the merit-pay debate focuses on the claims made for merit-pay programs and the assumptions behind the proposals. Following an analysis of similarities and contrasts among merit-pay plans, the author gives special consideration to the issues in selecting outstanding teachers: performance criteria, quotas per district, temporary or permanent awards, and the problems of evaluation. With the history of merit-pay debate as a background, arguments for and against the concept are then summarized. Since arguments for merit pay are often drawn from the analogy with business, a review of the use of merit pay in business and government concentrates on the government's degree of success in adapting merit-pay principles to the public sector. The characteristics of a school are then compared to those of businesses, where merit pay has been successful. Finally, the author projects the political prospects of merit pay and assesses its worth in school reform. (JW)

Is your school system considering teacher merit pay? Now is the time to understand the potential benefits and pitfalls of performance-based teacher pay, as well as how today's most successful programs were developed. Drawing on substantial research with school districts, Gary Ritter and Joshua Barnett provide a step-by-step approach to setting up a merit pay system in your school district. Readers will find, An overview of existing merit pay programs and their strengths and weaknesses, A review of the 12 most common myths about merit pay and how school leaders can respond, Six guiding principles for designing a merit pay program, along with how-to's and timelines for every phase, Guidance on creating balanced assessments based on multiple measures of teacher effectiveness, developed in collaboration with teachers, Ensure that-your district's merit pay program supports teachers' professional growth, schoolwide progress, and student achievement. Book jacket.

Reward your best teachers for the great work they do! Is your school system considering teacher merit pay? Now is the time to understand the potential benefits and pitfalls of performance-based teacher pay, as well as how today’s most successful programs were developed. Drawing on substantial research with school districts, Gary Ritter and Joshua Barnett provide a step-by-step approach to setting up a merit pay system in your school district. Readers will find An overview of existing merit pay programs and their strengths and weaknesses A review of the 12 most common myths about merit pay, and how school leaders can respond Six guiding principles for designing a merit pay program, along with how-to’s and timelines for every phase Guidance on creating balanced assessments based on multiple measures of teacher effectiveness, and developed in collaboration with teachers Ensure that your district’s merit pay program supports teachers’ professional growth, schoolwide progress, and student achievement. "Ritter and Barnett bring much-needed researched clarity to this complex issue. For school administrators, education policy makers, legislators, and others interested in school reform, this book is a must-read." —Rod Paige, Former U.S. Secretary of Education "This guide is a useful resource for undertaking merit pay, preventing pitfalls, and most importantly, offering solid recommendations for creating well-designed implementations." —Gary Stark, President and CEO National Institute for Excellence in Teaching

"Pay for performance" has become a buzzword for the 1990s, as U.S. organizations seek ways to boost employee productivity. The new emphasis on performance appraisal and merit pay calls for a thorough examination of their effectiveness. Pay for Performance is the best resource to date on the issues of whether these concepts work and how they can be applied most effectively in the workplace. This important book looks at performance appraisal and pay practices in the private sector and describes whetherâ€"and howâ€"private industry experience is relevant to federal pay reform. It focuses on the needs of the federal government, exploring how the federal pay system evolved; available evidence on federal employee attitudes toward their work, their pay, and their reputation with the public; and the complicating and pervasive factor of politics.

A comprehensive and research-based text detailing the important relationship between school administration and human resources administration. "The author provides [students] with specific strategies for navigating the treacherous waters of personnel selection, development, retention, and removal. I wish I had the book when I began my work as Director of Personnel." —Zach Kelehear University of South Carolina Human Resources Administration for Educational Leaders balances theory and pedagogy to demonstrate the historical evolution of the human resources function in education, the link between human resources and organizational effectiveness, and the new trends in human resources accountability. Key Features and Benefits: Provides students with samples of the tools that practicing HR administrators use for planning, recruiting, interviewing, selecting, evaluating, compensating, and developing staff personnel Dedicates separate chapters to areas often neglected in other texts: collective bargaining, human resources responsibility for classified personnel, accountability, and organizational climate and the human resources function Features engaging simulations in the form of case studies and critical questions to help students apply the concepts to practice Accompanied by High-Quality Ancillaries Instructors' Resources on CD-ROM includes a test bank, sample syllabi, PowerPoint slide presentations, and more. Contact SAGE to request your copy. Meet the author! http://coe.asu.edu/elps/faculty/norton.php

This second edition offers a comprehensive coverage of employee performance and reward, presenting the material in a conceptually integrated way.

Focuses on performance and reward using systems thinking and a dual model of strategic alignment and psychological engagement.