Oklahoma Teachers to Get Bonuses This Year

First posted on 01-18-2008

Oklahoma state school Superintendent Sandy Garrett has announced that teachers in 63 schools across the state will receive bonuses ranging from $500 to $3000 as a result of their students’ test scores.

In 33 schools, teachers will get each get $3000, the highest payout, because their students were either among the highest scoring or had the most improved scores from the previous year.

Teachers in the other 30 schools will receive between $500 and $2000 as rewards for praiseworthy student Academic Performance Index scores.

Although the actual number of teachers receiving bonuses was not released, the payout does include other school staff like principals, counselors and librarians who worked at the school for at least half the 2006-2007 school year.

State Department of Education officials are supportive of rewards to teachers who work hard and produce measurable results. The department also explained that the Academic Achievement Award program was expanded this year by the legislature under House Bill 1593.

This year, 20 schools were on the list to receive bonuses because they had the highest scores among all students. Another 20 made the list for having the most improvement in test scores.

Each list of 20 was divided up into five divisions based on the number of students in each school.

The highest ranking school in each division receives $3000 payouts, second place schools get $2000, third place $1000 and fourth place $500.

The final 23 schools were on the list because they had students who had perfect Academic Performance Index scores. All of those schools will get the full $3000 bonus.