Teacher performance-based pay experiment to begin

by Perry Finelli, Minnesota Public Radio

Three Minneapolis schools and the Waseca school district have volunteered to participate in an experiment in teacher pay. They will pay some teachers based on their performance. Gov. Tim Pawlenty praised the two school districts for stepping forward on the idea. He said, if the experiment is successful, the new pay system could transform the current system that rewards teachers for the number of college credits they have earned, and for time spent on the job. The experiment also had the blessing of the teachers at the schools that will adopt the plan. Morning Edition substitute host Perry Finelli spoke with Louise Sundin, union president of the Minneapolis Federation of Teachers.