Oregon Public Broadcasting

Eight Oregon school districts have won a total of nearly $20 million to provide incentives for teachers.

The federal Department of Education is giving the McMinnville schools $6.6 million for that district’s system of “merit pay".

And more than $13 million is headed to a program created by the Portland-based non-profit, the Chalkboard Project.

Chalkboard president Sue Hildick says the money will help implement a system of professional development and teacher rewards that seven districts are using.

Sue Hildick: “So, it will mean teachers in these districts will have higher quality and more professional development. They’re going to have time to take advantage of that professional development. They’re going to have an evaluation system that they helped build, and therefore trust. And then there’s going to be some performance incentives involved, where they will be paid for achievement results.”The concept of merit pay tends to be controversial.  But the local models that Chalkboard helped develop in Oregon involved teachers' unions. 

Hildick says the Chalkboard model shouldn’t rely much on outside funds. But she says Chalkboard is hoping to get lawmakers to create a state-funded grant system by redirecting money from education service districts.