The effectiveness of educator incentive programs rests on the assumption that the potential rewards for participants will motivate them to behave in certain ways (e.g., choose certain jobs, expend greater effort, engage in capacity-building professional development). Some researchers have examined the impact of financial incentives on teacher…

Techniques of cost-effectiveness analysis and their applications to educational policy are discussed. Recommendations are made to increase the capacity of evaluators, policy analysts, and decision makers to use these tools appropriately for resource allocation. (SLD)

Research was undertaken to examine the effects of a critical mass policy (concentrating funds) on student achievement in compensatory education programs in California. No consistent, positive relationship was found between the level or composition of educational resources and achievement test scores in reading and mathematics. (MH)