NEWS RELEASES 2012-13

BONUSES WILL GO TO TEACHERS FOR SIGNIFICANT GROWTH IN LOW-ACHIEVING SCHOOLS

Teachers in 35 persistently low-achieving schools across the state of North Carolina will receive bonuses for realizing higher than expected gains in student growth in the 2011-12 school year.  This is a 52 percent increase over the number of schools that achieved this during the previous school year. 

North Carolina’s Race to the Top (RttT) grant provides an incentive award for teachers and other certified educators in any of the 118 schools defined by RttT as persistently low-achieving. For a school to be eligible to receive bonuses, the school must have achieved higher than expected improvements during the 2011-12 school year, based on ABC/Annual Measurable Objectives (AMO) results.

Thirty-five schools achieved higher than expected gains during the 2011-12 school year, up from 23 schools in 2010-11.  Eight schools achieved higher than expected improvement both years.

NCDPI officials attribute the success of these schools to the partnership between the NCDPI turnaround teams and the teachers, principals and support staff in these schools over the last two years.  Comprehensive needs assessments were performed to determine strengths and areas needing improvement.  Teams from NCDPI then worked with teachers, principals and other key staff members in each school to target specific needs and develop plans for addressing them.

"How wonderful to know that so many students are achieving at higher and higher levels in schools that have faced significant challenges in the past," said State Superintendent June Atkinson. "We are very proud of these teachers, their principals and colleagues for implementing such successful improvements.  We feel certain that more and more students will benefit in years to come."

Bonuses of $1,500 will be paid to teachers and additional eligible personnel (principals, assistant principals and student services personnel) if they returned to the same persistently low-achieving school this year where they taught in 2011-12.  If they did not return, they will receive a $750 bonus.

A chart listing the schools meeting the criteria for bonuses follows.

Low-Achieving Schools and ABC Growth Data 2010-11 and 2011-12