Work by Matthew Stone

Oct. 23, 2010

Federal education officials late last month announced 15 Maine schools would share a $27.1 million grant to pay their teachers to pursue an advanced credential and fund a teacher evaluation system based on student performance.

But a month has passed since the award announcement. Details about the grant and its rules for participating schools have been few. Administrators for eight of the 15 schools say they're still on the fence about participating. And one superintendent whose school is listed as a participant says his district isn't interested and never signed onto the grant application.

"This is a lot of money. It's a nationwide competition," said Gary Rosenthal, assistant superintendent and curriculum coordinator for Regional School Unit 12. "I'm just shocked that literally nothing has been said from the Department of Education about this. Not a word."

Some of the uncertainty surrounding the award is expected to end next week, as officials from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards -- the Arlington, Va., organization coordinating the grant project -- visit Maine and sit down with project participants.

The $27.1 million award, which the Maine schools will split with eight schools in Richmond, Va., was one of 62 the U.S. Department of Education gave out from its Teacher Incentive Fund on Sept. 23.

The grant-funded project offers teachers incentives to take classes that lead to an advanced teaching credential, and bonuses once they receive the credential. The five-year pilot project also offers bonuses to staff members teaching hard-to-staff subject areas, and to teachers who meet goals for improving academic performance.

Teachers are limited to $7,500 in bonus pay each year, said Anna Davis, executive director for government relations at the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.

RSU 12 had signed a memorandum of understanding indicating two of its schools -- Somerville Elementary and Wiscasset Primary schools -- would participate.

But the document was not a binding agreement, according to state officials. Rosenthal said Somerville and Wiscasset teachers are interested, but the district has yet to decide whether to commit fully.

"You really can't home in on certain things, or really have any further conversation, until you get the details," he said.

In the Ellsworth area, RSU 24 has yet to decide whether to fully commit its six participating schools. "We had a number of questions which have not been answered," Superintendent Bill Webster said.

Maine Department of Education officials say the summer departure of a key staff member left the agency without a point person to coordinate the grant and communicate with participants.

And, there's no rush yet to implement the project, they say.

"This is largely an organizational year," department spokesman David Connerty-Marin said. "There's not an immediate need to get going on any particular aspect."

Connerty-Marin said this week that calls to participating schools are starting in advance of next week's meeting.

"We wanted to make sure we had everything in order before we started making calls," he said.

Davis, of the National Board, said it's understandable why school districts might not be ready to commit.

"I would not be surprised if some schools are saying, 'We want to know more,'" she said.

In Dover-Foxcroft, Superintendent Alan Smith said he sent an e-mail to the state education department months ago indicating interest in the project.

But he since decided against signing the participation document.

"It is a professional development incentive program for staff, but it doesn't have a whole lot of clarity as to where this is going," Smith said. "I think it has merit. It just has to have some real clarity, and I don't think it's there yet."

Although Smith didn't sign the participation agreement, Dover-Foxcroft's SeDoMoCha School was listed as a grant participant when the award was announced.

Connerty-Marin said it's unclear how that happened.

Davis said the National Board didn't have direct contact with the participating schools, but said the group is working to recruit a substitute school to take SeDoMoCha's place.

The amount of grant funding won't be reduced, she said, if fewer Maine schools ultimately participate.

Davis said some grant-related confusion can be attributed to a compressed time frame. Federal guidelines didn't come out until late May, just weeks before the start of summer vacation, she said. That left applicants little time to arrange the details of their grant application and line up participants.

"I think it came down to bad timing," Davis said. "We've considered at the National Board how we would do it differently in the future."

The initial confusion related to the $27.1 million pilot project, however, shouldn't have an impact on its success, Davis said. The project doesn't go into full effect in schools until next September.

"Up until then, you have a chance to get everything lined up and your ducks in a row," Davis said.

Matthew Stone -- 623-3811, ext. 435
mstone@centralmaine.com

Teacher Pay Pilot Project

Fifteen Maine schools are sharing a $27.1 million grant that will pay teachers to pursue an advanced credential and help schools implement a teacher evaluation system based in part on student academic performance. Here are some bonuses teachers will be eligible for under the project:

• $1,000-$2,000 for instructors teaching hard-to-staff subjects
• $355 to enroll in professional development courses
• $500 for submitting portfolio required for National Board certification
• $3,000 for earning the certification
• $3,000 for National Board certified teachers who mentor new teachers
• $1,000-$3,000 for teachers meeting goals for improved student performance
• Maximum annual bonus: $7,500

Source: National Board for Professional Teaching Standards

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