Teachers in Putnam County this week are making a choice this week:  whether to remain in the current teacher's salary system in which they receive pay increases on the basis of education and years of experience or move to a performance related salary system in which such pay increases and bonus awards are received on the basis of evaluation scores, professional investment in learning and student performance. 

New teachers are automatically included in the P.A.S.S. (Putnam Accelerating Student Success) plan, but all other teachers must "Opt In" if they want to participate.   The plan is one of a few across the state of Tennessee that addresses differentiated pay for teachers as an aspect of educational reform.

Director of Schools Kathleen Airhart commented on the plan in a blog for SCORE, an organization led by Bill Frist and devoted to educational improvement, particularly in the south in rural communities.   In the blog, Airhart stated, "The Tennessee Department of Education (TDE) was awarded a TIF grant last year, which allowed districts to participate in creating alternative compensation plans for educators.  At that conference, I had the opportunity to meet with district administrators from around the country who for the past several years have been awarding incentive pay to teachers.  Though the Putnam County School System (PCSS) is on the cutting edge of salary reform in TN, as compared to many districts around the country, our district and state are in the infancy of salary reformation."

According to Airhart, Putnam County has had the opportunity to implement what is called "Strategic Compensation" around several competitive grant sources: TIF, Race to the Top local funds, and the Innovation Acceleration Fund. 

The grants offer an opportunity to try a new system over the course of the next three years with teachers who choose to participate.

The Putnam Strategic Compensation plan offers bonus awards to educators for targeted professional development, higher education content courses and degrees, and mentor and master teacher roles.  

Base pay increases determined by a combination of teacher evaluation scores, student performance scores, and another state-approved variable chosen by the teacher.  

Solidly performing teachers will earn a 1% increase in their base pay, along with the opportunity for bonus awards.  Teachers with exceptional performance have the opportunity for as much as a 3% increase to their base pay.  

But there is a risk to teachers as well:  lower results will be met with a 0% increase to base pay.  For some, the consideration is giving up a "given" schedule of pay increase for an undetermined pay increase that could be lower or higher. 

PCSS has had the unique opportunity to develop Strategic Compensation around several sources of revenue: TIF, Race to the Top local funds, and the Innovation Acceleration Fund competitive grant.  The combination of these revenues has allowed for a creative bonus and base alternative system created for classroom teachers. P.A.S.S. (Putnam’s Alternative Salary Schedule) offers bonus pay to educators for targeted professional development, higher education content courses and degrees, and mentor and master teacher roles.  Base pay acceleration is determined by teacher evaluation scores.  Level 3 teachers (at expectation) earn an average step, while those at Level 4 and 5 will earn 1.5 or 2 times the average base pay increase.  Teachers hired prior to June 30 may “opt-in” to P.A.S.S. or stay on the current step and level pay system.  All teachers hired after July 1, are automatically included in the new alternative pay schedule.

Since June, our P.A.S.S. Coordinator has been on a messaging mission to share information about alternative compensation with our 850 teachers and leaders.  With recent State Board approval of the alternative salary schedule, the “opt-in” period begins with a deadline for year-one participation of September 30^th.  With this plan, teachers are given choice to earn higher wages based on productivity and test results rather than a small standard increase for “one more year of service”.  The decision is difficult for our teachers as they weigh the risk of forgoing a standard earned increase.  But, for those teachers who are already going above and beyond teaching requirements, the choice becomes easier with the expectation that they will be rewarded appropriately for their efforts.

For many education stakeholders (teachers, administrators, Board, and funders) the conversation around differential compensation remains controversial.  I, as district leader, realize that I am stepping out of a comfort zone of teacher pay that has been in place for decades.  If this plan proves to make a difference in teacher quality, productivity, and student results, then I can rest assured that PCSS has once again moved from a status quo district to a district performing at a higher level and “doing what is right for kids.”