Jan. 27, 2004

Gov. Rick Perry Proposes Incentives for Student Achievement and Teacher Excellence

Initiatives Continue Perry's Educational Excellence Incentives

AUSTIN - Gov. Rick Perry today unveiled the second in a series of proposals to encourage Texas schools to set a new course for educational excellence, including financial incentives to spur schools, students, and teachers toward the goal of maximum performance.

"The results-based performance incentives I am proposing are available to every public school, in every community, that serves every level of student," Perry told the Texas Association of School Administrators Mid-Winter Conference. "My plan does not involve a bunch of new programs, or new bureaucratic hoops, but rather builds upon existing programs and existing curriculum to ensure maximum achievement in Texas schools."

In addition to the High School Advancement, Commended Performance, and Distinguished Achievement Initiatives announced yesterday, Perry proposed an additional series of results-based performance incentives:

The Algebra Incentive will increase the number of students who master algebra. School campuses would receive $100 per student passing the Algebra I end-of-course exam. An additional $100 ($200 total) will be awarded for each at-risk student meeting this level of achievement.
The LEP Student Success Incentive will encourage schools to develop ways to promote academic success with LEP (Limited English Proficiency) students to achieve academic success and close the achievement gap. School campuses will receive $100 per LEP student passing the TAKS test and an additional $100 ($200 total) for each student who receives commended performance on all sections of the TAKS.
The Teacher Excellence Incentive will reward teachers for achieving a high level of excellence in the classroom and increase the number of effective teachers working in qualifying schools. A $200 million fund will be established to reward teaching excellence by providing up to $2,500 in matching funds per qualifying teacher in conjunction with a school district-initiated teaching excellence program. Additionally, effective teachers could receive an additional $5,000 state stipend if they are assigned or choose to teach in a qualifying, struggling school.

Perry said he wants to make it clear that if he calls a special session, "the subject will not be school finance, it will be educational excellence. School finance will be an integral part of a session on educational excellence because how we finance education is the course to that destination."

The performance incentives, Perry added, will give "students, schools and teachers every reason to strive for greater educational excellence."

"The Algebra Incentive will provide additional resources that can be used to improve student performance while encouraging as many students as possible to take the optional Algebra One exam," Perry said.

"Algebra is a critical gateway course that a student must master before succeeding in other math courses and in college," he added.

Perry also proposed the LEP (Limited English Proficiency) Student Success Incentive that starts with the goal of helping more LEP students pass the TAKS test and closing the achievement gap between LEP students and their non-LEP peers. "There are hundreds of thousands of children who arrive at our public schools unprepared to succeed because they start behind and must overcome language barriers," Perry said.

The commended performance, distinguished achievement, algebra, and LEP incentives will help schools devote more time and resources to ensuring students realize their full academic potential. The teacher excellence focuses on the classroom teacher.

"I believe that it is good public policy to reward proven teachers that embody excellence in the classroom with financial incentives," said Perry. "We should not be afraid to single out our top educational professionals for additional pay out of fear of bucking the status quo."

Perry proposed the Teacher Excellence Incentive to reward teachers who achieve excellence in the classroom based on meeting specific performance measures. Local districts would have to match the state's financial commitment. Additionally, the incentive program will reward proven, experienced teachers who elect to teach in underperforming schools that serve large numbers of disadvantaged students.

"Too often our newest and most inexperienced teachers start out in the most difficult learning environments," Perry said. "We want the best, brightest and most experienced teachers to go where they can make the greatest difference, reaffirming our commitment to a most basic truth: The future of every child matters."

Perry noted he is working with legislators in developing proposals and credited Sen. Florence Shapiro and Rep. Kent Grusendorf as the leaders who have championed the move to reward Texas teachers who produce high-achieving students.

Perry acknowledged that these new incentives, coupled with those introduced yesterday, set ambitious standards and goals, but he noted they also work within programs that Texas schools already have and do not require schools to develop new programs.

"My incentive proposals will raise the bar of excellence in Texas schools and help to fundamentally shift the focus of our schools from minimum expectations to maximum performance," Perry said. "And even better, my proposals are funded incentives, not unfunded mandates."

Perry also reminded Texans of the states commitment to education, noting that $7.1 billion in new dollars have been dedicated to Texas public schools since 1999 - an increase of $1,900 per student.

"I believe any organization that approaches a challenge stating why it can't accomplish something will surely achieve that end," added Perry. "I believe the mindset must be 'we can, and we will.' "

The governor's speech at the Texas Association of School Administrator Mid-Winter Conference is the second of three major education excellence speeches Perry will deliver this week. Yesterday in a speech to the Texas High School Project, Perry outlined additional proposals to help schools achieve excellence:

The High School Advancement Incentive will provide schools $100 more per student for each year they advance in high school, so long as the students pass the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) tests. In total, schools would receive an additional $600 for each student they keep in school between grades nine through 12.
The Commended Performance Incentive will reward all schools whose students score at least 90 percent on all TAKS tests taken. The Incentive would provide Texas schools $100 per student achieving Commended Performance and $200 for each at-risk student who scores that high. The Texas Education Agency (TEA) defines Commended Performance as a score of 90 percent or higher on all TAKS tests taken.
The Distinguished Achievement Incentive will reward Texas high schools at least $1,000 for each graduate who successfully completes the most academically challenging course of study Texas schools offer, the Distinguished Achievement Program. The reward would jump to $2,000 for each at-risk student who graduates under this plan.

Learn about Gov. Perry's Educational Excellence Initiatives
Read Gov. Rick Perry's Speech to Texas Association of School Administrators Mid-Winter Conference