Virginia Performance-Pay Incentives Initiative
Teachers in 25 schools are participating in Governor Bob McDonnell’s Virginia Performance-Pay Incentives Initiative.
The 2011 General Assembly approved McDonnell’s request for $3 million to reward teachers in hard-to-staff schools based on student growth and other performance measures during the 2011-2012 school year. The legislation authorizes incentive payments of up to $5,000 for teachers earning exemplary ratings.
In addition, incentive payments of up to $3,000 based on performance during 2012-2013 are available for exemplary-rated teachers in participating schools with federal School Improvement Grants.Participation & Eligibility
Governor McDonnell announced the participating schools on July 21, 2011. See the governor’s news release for a list of participating schools.
- News Release – July 21, 2011 – FROM THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE Governor McDonnell Announces Performance-Pay Pilot Schools
The participating schools meet at least four of eight criteria associated with schools that may have difficulty recruiting and retaining effective teachers. The criteria are:
- Accredited with warning;
- Average daily attendance rate is two percentage points below the statewide average;
- Percent of special education students exceeds 150 percent of the statewide average;
- Percent of limited English proficient (LEP) students exceeds 150 percent of the statewide average;
- Percent of teachers with provisional licenses exceeds 150 percent of the statewide average;
- Percent of special education teachers with provisional special education licenses exceeds 150 percent of the statewide average;
- Percent of inexperienced teachers (0 years of teaching experience) hired to total teachers exceeds 150 percent of the statewide average; and
- School has one or more inexperienced teachers (0 years of teaching experience) in a critical shortage area.
Performance Evaluation
Participating schools must implement the Performance Standards and Model Teacher-Evaluation System approved by the Board of Education in April 2011. The board-recommended system bases 40 percent of a teacher’s evaluation on student academic growth, including, when available and appropriate, student-growth data provided by the VDOE.
- Also see: Training Materials for the Implementation of Virginia's Guidelines (effective July 1, 2012) – which include Appendix B – Guidelines for Creating a Comprehensive Pay System (Word)
Application Process
In applying for funding, school divisions had the option of designating all teachers within a hard-to-staff school as eligible for performance pay or limiting eligibility to specific groups of teachers, such as teachers in reading and mathematics.
- Virginia Performance Pay Incentives (VPPI) in Hard-to-Staff Schools Competitive Grant Application Packet (PDF)
- Questions & Answers (PDF) – about the Virginia Performance Pay Incentives for Hard-to-Staff Schools Grant Proposals
- Eligible Schools, including Qualifying Criteria, for the 2010-2011 School Year (PDF)
View VDOE's Expenses