School-wide Performance Bonus Program
The school-wide performance bonus program, launched during the 2007-08 school year, is a groundbreaking initiative that allows educators at a select group of high need schools to receive monetary bonuses if their schools meet specific performance targets.
Reflecting on the completion of the first year of the program, Chancellor Klein commented, "Teachers across the city have told us how gratified they were to be recognized for the success for their collaborative focus on student achievement and their hard work. The biggest winners, though, were the students in these high-need schools, who received the instruction and support they needed to reach new levels of performance. This is a program that everyone who supports New York City schools should endorse - it improves our schools, honors the work of our teachers and other UFT staff, and elevates student learning."
For the 2008-09 school year, of the 201 high need schools who were invited to participate in the bonus program, 197 elected to do so through a vote of all school staff represented by the United Federation of Teachers (UFT) and with the principal's agreement (click here for a list of these schools). Schools meeting performance targets for the 2008-09 school year will receive a bonus pool equivalent to $3,000 per full-time UFT member. Schools that meet at least 75% of performance targets will receive a bonus pool equal to $1,500 per full-time UFT member.
In addition, two-thirds of performance bonus schools for the 2008-09 school year are also Teachers of Tomorrow schools, meaning eligible teachers would be entitled to earn both the appropriate performance bonus (assuming performance targets were achieved) as well as the Teachers of Tomorrow tax-free grant of $3,400.
Please note: School-wide peformance bonus schools for the 2009-10 school year are not available at this time. More information on the 2009-10 program will most likely become available during Summer/Fall 2009.