Roughly 15% of U.S. elementary school principals are working under incentive or performance-pay contracts. Douglas County, Colorado's program, including teachers and administrators, has four components: outstanding performance, skills blocks, group incentive, and district responsibility pay. Bonuses can be major motivators. A sidebar details…

In October, a revised set of test scores showed that students in the eight Education Alternative, Inc. (EAI), schools in Baltimore, Maryland, had not performed as well as originally reported. Indicates that a contract with a for-profit company should specify how much test scores or attendance should improve each year and what the consequences are…

The growing movement to privatize school management is a reason for comparing compensation and responsibilities in the private and public sectors. Despite the enormous salary gaps, public outrage over superintendents' salaries is common. Sensitive taxpayers might favor superintendent contracts including pay-for-performance factors resembling those…

Examines arguments for and against pay-for-performance contracts. Focuses on a situation in which the Houston superintendent accepted a $25,000 performance bonus for increasing districtwide performance. Presents findings of a nationwide survey of superintendents and school board members. (LMI)