Teacher Incentive Fund Act: Helpful or Harmful?

Recently, Secretary of U.S. Department of Education Margaret Spellings released a statement regarding the Teacher Incentive Fund Act proposed by Congressional leaders to build upon the Teacher Incentive Fund initiative already in place. The Act was enacted as part of the No Child Left Behind Act. According to the Department of Education, its purpose is to “support efforts to develop and implement performance-based teacher and principal compensation systems in high-need schools.” Essentially, the act awards money to schools with more than 30% of students coming from low-income families so that the money may be used to implement programs that compensates teachers and principals for high student achievement.

Secretary Spellings’ statement speaks with great regards towards the act, claiming the act will “help recognize our most effective teachers and reward them for their success in raising student achievement” and thus, draw more teachers to “high-need” schools.

Others, however, disagree with Secretary Spellings and Congressional members. The National Education Association (NEA) states that it “strongly opposes” the program for many reasons. Organizations such as the NEA feel that the act directs money away from under-funded programs and is too restrictive of the funds awarded. Is this an effective way to help the “high-need” (poor and struggling) schools? Or is it creating more superfluous bureaucratic procedures?