SarahSharkey

CaseStudies
10/5/2015
IncentivesorTeachers?
PlainviewSchoolDistrictNo.12hasadoptedsitebasedmanagementforits15schools.
Authorityformanycurricular,instructional,budgetary,andpersonnelmattersnow
resideswiththeadministratorandaschoolcouncilateachschool.Theschoolcouncilis
madeupofparentrepresentativesandrepresentativesfromtheschoolstaff.
Likemostcommunitiesinthestate,Plainviewseconomyhassufferedduringthecurrent
recession,andtheschooldistrictisnotanticipatinganyincreaseinfundingfornextyear.
Becauseofenrollmentincreases,however,DigrazziElementarySchoolhasbeenallotted
twoadditionalinstructionalpositionsfornextyearunderthefundingandstaffing
formula.
Digrazziservesalowersocioeconomicneighborhoodandinthelastfewyearshas
experienceddecliningtestscoresandahighteacherturnoverrate.Duringthelastyear
thestaffhasbeendiscussingavarietyofmeasurestotackletheseproblems,including
incentivepayplansthatwouldrewardteachersbasedonimprovementsinstudent
achievement.
WhentheDigrazzistafflearnsthatfundinghasbeenauthorizedtohiretwoadditional
teachers,aformalproposalismadetotheschoolcounciltoforgothehires.Theproposal
suggeststhatthemoneyallocatedforthehiresbeusedtofundanincentivepayprogram
thatwouldrewardteachersforincreasedstudentachievement.

GuidingQuestions
1.

Howwouldyourespondtotheproposalifyouwereamemberoftheschool
council?
1. Veto

2.

Whatarethepossiblepositiveandnegativeimplicationsforstudents?
1. Largerclasssizes,lessteachercollaboration,lessinstructionalexperts
inareasofneed(literacyspecialistsforexample),strongerpushfor
teachingtothetest,lessfocusondevelopingthewholechild,doesnot

addresstheissueofhighteacherturnover,lesssupportforstruggling
students
2. Studenttestscorescouldraiseifteachershaveincentivetoworktoward
thatgoal
3.

Whatisthepossibleimpactorreactionofstudentsandstaffintheotherschools
inthedistrict?
1. Staffmaywantsimilarincentive,mayhaveconcernsaboutlargerclass
sizes,incentivedoesnotfocusoninstructionratheritfocusesonresults
2. Studentsmaychoosedifferentschoolsthathavesmallerclasssizesif
available,olderstudentsmaychoosetonotperformaswelliftheydonot
likecertainteachers

4.

Whatalternativestohiringtwoadditionalteachersmightyouproposethatwould
improvetheworkingconditionsorwelfareoftheteachersatDigrazzi?
1. StaffDevelopmentbasedonstrengthsandweaknessesofcurrentstaffand
students
2. Reorganizeteachingstafftoshowcasetalentsofindividualteachers
3. BeginorstrengthenPLCprocess
4. Encouragecollaborationbyprovidingsubstitutesforpeerobservationsor
collaborativeworktime
5. ExaminecurriculumandprovidefundingtostrengthenresourcesforRTI
andotherdifferentiatedprograms
6. Utilizemoneytoprovidepositiveexperiencesforstudentsthatwill
enhancetheireducationandmakeschoolcomealive(fieldtrips,visitors,
programmingandsoon).
7. Createlongtermvisionwithshorttermgoalstoraisetestscores
8. Createbeforeandafterschoolprogramming/tutoringtohelpstruggling
(andall)students

LastMinuteHire

Theweekbeforeschoolstarted,oneofourthirdgradeteachersacceptedajobacrossthe
stateintheschooldistrictherhusbandwashiredinearlierinthesummer.Whilethe
principalwasawareoftheteacherssituation,shewastakenabackwhentheteacher
acceptedtheposition.Shehadstatedpreviouslyshewantedtowaituntilnextyearbefore
switchingpositions.TheteacherresignedonMonday,OpenHousetookplaceon
Thursday,andthefirstdayofschoolbeganonthefollowingTuesday.
Myprincipal:
1. Offeredthepositiontoapreviousspecialeducationaidethatnowhasher
teachingdegree.Shedeclinedtheposition.
2. Offeredthepositiontoaregularsubstitute.Shedeclinedthepositionbutoffered
tohelp.
3. Placedthesubstituteinthepositiontemporarilywhileproceedingwiththehiring
process.
4. Evaluatedtheclasslistsinthirdgradetodetermineifanystudentsshouldbe
switchedinoroutoftheclass.
5. Notifiedthefamiliesofthechangeinteachersandtheplanofaction.
6. Hiredateacherwithin2weeksofthestartofschool.
7. Theteachershadowedthesubstitutefor3dayspriortotakingfullcontrolofthe
classroom.
Iwould:
1. Alwayshavemyfeelersoutthereforpotentialhires.
2. Hirealongtermsubthatisfamiliarwiththebuildingandstudents.
3. Meetwiththegradelevelteam(andperhapsthepreviousgradelevelteamtogain
insightaboutthestudentpersonalities)abouttheclassliststobesurestudentsare
inaplacementthatwillhelpthembesuccessful.
4. Notifyfamiliesofthechangeandtheupcomingprocess.
5. Meetwithstudentsduringthefirstfewdaysofschooltothankthemforhelping
asIsearchforagreatteacher.
6. Hireastrongcandidate.
7. Allowshadowdaysforthenewhiretobecomefamiliarwiththenewclassand
theotherteachers.Thisincludesspendingtimeinallthirdgradeclassroomstoget
afeelforwhateachteacherdoeswithhisorherclass.Setupameetandgreet
afterschoolonedayforstafftogettoknownewteacher.
8. Holdacelebrationfortheclassandnewteacher.
PotentialConcerns:
1. Familyand/orstudentanxietyaboutmultipleteacherchanges.
2. Dependingondistrictandposition,positionmaybedifficulttofillsolateinthe
hiringseason.
3. HumanResourceprotocolontheinterviewing/hiringprocess.
4. Budgetaryconcernsregardingshadowdays.