The business and political community believe that if you give merit pay to educators to produce higher test scores there will be an improvement in academic achievement.
According to a new study conducted by Vanderbilt University in Nashville Tennessee giving bonuses of up to $15,000 did not produce higher test scores. The study was conducted from 2006 to 2009 and involved 296 middle school math teachers. The teachers were placed in two pools what were randomly selected. One-third of the eligible teachers -51 out of 152 – got bonuses at least once. Except for some temporary gains, their students progressed no faster than those in classes taught by the 146 other teachers.
Critic