Pay-for-performance programs that don't perform

New research, published in Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, has analyzed the results of three randomized studies of pay-for-performance incentive programs for teachers. The three programs considered were: Project on Incentives in Teaching (POINT), Project on Team Incentives (PPTI), and School-Wide Performance Bonus. Findings showed that the programs did not motivate teachers to make behavioral changes that lead to student achievement gains. 

Similarly, the What Works Clearinghouse has released a review of a study into the Chicago Public Schools' Teacher Advancement Program (Chicago TAP), which provides mentoring, leadership opportunities, and financial incentives to teachers. The study used a randomized controlled trial to examine academic achievement, and a quasi-experiment to examine teacher retention rates. After one year, students attending the Chicago TAP schools did not score significantly different in math, reading, or science, nor were there statistically significant differences in teacher retention rates between these schools and comparison schools after either one year or two years of implementation.