District 197 OKs Pay-For-Performance

Teachers in the West St. Paul-Mendota Heights-Eagan School District will join the state’s pay-for-performance program, which establishes a number of measures for teacher evaluation and development in return for incentive pay.

The Alternative Teacher Professional Pay System (ATPPS) is also known as “Q-Comp” and was enacted in 2005. Last school year, 50 districts and 54 charter schools were approved to use a Q Comp program, according to the Minnesota Department of Education.

The District 197 School Board unanimously approved a plan Monday night at presented by the West St. Paul Federation of Teachers.

“I think it improves teaching. It improves instruction throughout the district,” said Interim Superintendent Tom Nelson. “It allows teachers really to work with other teachers in accountability in an evaluation-type mode. I’ve seen it work. In another district I’ve been involved in it worked very well, and I hope it does here as well.”

The plan was developed several years ago, said Diane Thompson, president of the union. Up until this year, the union has not decided to pursue it.

However, the Minnesota Legislature has passed a statute requiring districts to formulate a plan for teacher evaluation and peer review starting in 2014-2015. The district could write their own plan, accept a plan that is to be written by the state or accept the existing ATPPS plan.

Thompson said the union votes strongly in favor of moving forward with the plan.

The program will cost the district about $1.4 million a year depending on enrollment and if staff were to all achieve their goals, said Thompson. That money will come partially through the state at a rate of $169 per pupil unit and starting in 2013-2014, partially through a levy on taxpayers that will raise $91 per pupil unit.

One concern raised by board member Pat Barnum was whether top teachers would leave the classroom in favor of six peer-coaching positions created. Thompson agreed that finding the right candidates for those leadership positions would be "the crux" of the program.