Landrieu Announces $7.9M Teacher Incentive Fund Grant to Strengthen Calcasieu Parish Schools
WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Mary L. Landrieu, D-La., today announced a $7.9 million Teacher Incentive Fund (TIF) grant for 21 Calcasieu Parish high-need schools to enhance their educator compensation systems. The grant, administered by the U.S. Department of Education, will help fund the Professionally Rewarding Outcomes and Growth: Raising Effectiveness and Student Success (PROGRESS) project, which will strategically increase educator effectiveness and raise student achievement.
As a senior member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, Sen. Landrieu has consistently supported TIF, and specifically requested robust TIF funding in the fiscal year 2012 appropriations bill.
"This is great news for Calcasieu Parish schools, families and students," Sen. Landrieu said. "This funding will support comprehensive strategies that strengthen the education workforce and drive improvements in teacher effectiveness. Rewarding effective and outstanding educators will retain and attract the best principals and teachers, raise student outcomes and close the achievement gap."
The 2012 TIF program encourages districts to enhance educator compensation systems through one of two models: career ladders or performance-based pay with the option for additional responsibilities. With either model, applicants were able to submit a general proposal or a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) focused proposal.
The PROGRESS project:
The project will create and implement a human capital management system (HCMS) that increases educator effectiveness and student achievement; create and implement a rigorous, valid and reliable teacher evaluation system; develop and implement a research-based, data-driven professional improvement plan that provides every educator with the opportunity to succeed; ensure long-term sustainability of the newly developed HCMS and professional improvement plan; and improve student achievement and foster student interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines.
The HCMS will allow the district to recruit, retain and manage personnel in support of Calcasieu Parish's vision of instructional improvement. Calcasieu's performance-based compensation system (PBCS) includes a state-developed performance management system to award teachers based on a rating that includes classroom observations and student growth.
Calcasieu will provide educators with quality feedback, reward effectiveness and deliver differentiated support by aligning performance competencies, instructional practice rubrics, and comprehensive data systems linking student achievement directly to teacher effectiveness.
Calcasieu will award additional compensation for teachers, principals, and other personnel (e.g., assistant principals, administrative interns, counselors and librarians) deemed effective in the evaluation system. Implementation of the PBCS will be phased in over year two and year three of the grant, and continue into years four and five.
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