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Pay for Performance in Education

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For educators and administrators, compensation has traditionally been based on years of service and education level. As part of broader reform efforts, performance-based pay is being adopted in many districts across the United States. RAND research takes a close look at this model and how it affects important outcomes like teaching effectiveness and student achievement.

Report
All Work and No Pay: Teachers' Perceptions of Their Pay and Hours Worked
Since the pandemic, there have been some positive improvements in teacher well-being. However, teachers in some states are still leaving their jobs at rates higher than before COVID-19 hit. How might salary and work hours affect their decisions to leave?
Sep 12, 2023
Solution
Evaluating the Effectiveness of Teacher Pay-for-Performance
RAND's substantial body of work on teacher pay-for-performance provides policymakers with a strong evidence base on the design, implementation, and potential results of pay-for-performance programs.
Aug 1, 2013

Explore Pay for Performance in Education

Commentary
Isn't It Obvious? Why Making the Case for Big Research Infrastructure Is Important
Large-scale research infrastructure is enormously expensive. Is the real impact and value of major investment in research facilities worth the cost?
Oct 20, 2023
Essay
A Four-Day School Week? Here Are the Costs and Benefits
Hundreds of small school districts across America have cut one day a week from their calendars. A shorter school week helps them compete for teachers and reduce costs. Teachers and parents love it. But is it really in the best interests of students?
Aug 31, 2023
Commentary
The Four-Day School Week: Are the Pros Worth the Cons?
The past two decades have seen an explosion in the adoption of the four-day school week. Against this growing trend, however, there is increasing evidence that, by and large, a four-day school week causes student achievement to suffer.
Apr 6, 2023
Research Brief
Benefits and Drawbacks of the Four-Day School Week
A four-day school week is becoming more common, especially in states with large rural areas. Champions of the shorter week contend that it saves money, improves student attendance, and helps recruit and retain teachers to rural districts. But what does the evidence say?
Oct 7, 2021
Report
Does Four Equal Five? Implementation and Outcomes of the Four-Day School Week
The authors provide information on the implementation and outcomes of the four-day school week using quantitative and qualitative data from a variety of sources, including surveys of parents and students in 36 districts in three states.
Oct 7, 2021
Commentary
What Factors Affecting Retention Matter Most to Teachers?
Maintaining an adequate supply of teachers is a challenge and an area of significant concern. Rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, a set of interventions developed to target the preferences and expectations of specific groups of teachers is likely to be most effective.
Apr 5, 2021
Research Brief
Results from the Intensive Partnerships for Effective Teaching Initiative
A multiyear effort aimed at increasing students' access to effective teaching failed to achieve its goals for improved student achievement and graduation. However, the participating school districts and charter management organizations did implement better measures of teaching effectiveness.
Feb 11, 2019
Blog
The Most Popular RAND Research of 2018
RAND serves as an objective source of facts that help inform the world's most pressing policy debates. When decisions are based on the best evidence, that's when public policy can have a positive impact on people's lives. We're highlighting the 10 research projects that RAND.org readers found most engaging this year.
Dec 21, 2018
Report
Impacts of the Intensive Partnerships Initiative
The Intensive Partnerships for Effective Teaching initiative enhanced how teachers are evaluated and improved teacher staffing policies. But it did not lead to gains in student achievement or graduation rates.
Jun 21, 2018
Report
'Motivating teachers with incentivised pay and coaching' randomised control trial (ICR trial): Closure report: Understanding factors influencing participant recruitment failure
After recruitment issues had led to the cancellation of a randomised controlled trial on the impact of incentivised pay on teaching in the UK, RAND Europe conducted a follow-up investigation exploring the reasons behind the recruitment difficulties.
Feb 5, 2018
Commentary
The Hidden Costs of Pension Plan Reform
While there are many policy options that may decrease pension liabilities for Chicago and cities and states in similar situations, some options being considered may also have serious consequences for the public sector workforce, now and in the future.
May 18, 2016
Research Brief
How Different Pension Policies Can Impact Teacher Retention
A dynamic retention model can help policymakers concerned with mounting pension costs estimate and analyze the relationship between different retirement benefit policies and retention over the career of Chicago public school teachers.
May 2, 2016
Report
Retirement Benefits and Teacher Retention
There is little capacity to predict how recent pension reforms and changes to teacher compensation will affect teacher turnover and teacher experience mix—and in turn—potentially impact the cost and efficacy of the public education system. Research using a structural modeling approach may begin to fill that gap.
May 2, 2016
Dissertation
Three Essays on Education Reform in the United States
Examines California's state education accountability reform and comprehensive reform to improve teacher and principal talent in high-poverty, low-performing schools.
Sep 29, 2014
Report
Evaluating Efforts to Improve School Leadership
Improving school leadership may improve student outcomes. Evaluation is critical for effective use of resources, but poses challenges to states and districts. Evaluators and policymakers should allow time for improvements to show, use multiple evaluation measures, and interpret findings carefully.
Oct 4, 2012
Research Brief
Evaluating Efforts to Improve School Leadership
Efforts to improve school leadership may improve student outcomes. Evaluation is critical for effective use of resources, but it poses challenges. Evaluators and policymakers should allow time for improvements to show, use multiple evaluation measures, and interpret findings carefully before applying them to others.
Oct 4, 2012
Brochure
Focusing on K-12 Education
In the area of K–12 education, RAND Education partners with policymakers, school systems, practitioners, and other stakeholders to help improve education outcomes and systems and to increase access and equity.
Sep 4, 2012
Commentary
School Principals Respond to Performance-Based Evaluation System
It's fair to say the program turned out to be an important step for the district in the context of its overall reform plan considering how important high-quality school leadership is for improving teaching and learning, write Laura Hamilton and John Engberg.
Aug 15, 2012
Research Brief
Improving School Leadership Through the Pittsburgh Principal Incentive Program
A RAND Corporation report examines the Pittsburgh Principal Incentive Program's implementation, how principals have responded to the reforms, and what outcomes followed program implementation.
Jul 2, 2012
Report
What Are the Effects of Performance-Based Compensation for Principals?
This study examines the effects of financial incentives for Pittsburgh principals on teacher supervision, student achievement, and gaps between high- and low-achieving students. Findings suggest that the incentives have had positive impacts, however, performance-based compensation requires more scrutiny.
Jun 25, 2012

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RAND Topic:
Pay for Performance in Education

Topic Synonyms:
Educator Incentives

Research conducted by

RAND Education and Labor