Early on, researchers planned to develop a completely different kind of PBC system, one that actually changes the teacher compensation process completely. After learning more about legislative control over salary increments and how they are managed, that work was abandoned for expediency’s sake.
PBC Systems: Challenges Forewarned is forearmed. What are the challenges to a PBC system’s success? To answer this question, the authors reviewed two practical and valuable sources. First is a top-down view seen through the eyes of early adopters who stepped out first, stumbled, and regrouped, sometimes two or three times. They still face challenges that continue to demand significant time and resources; these are identified. The second is the bottom-up perspective of classroom teachers whose collective wisdom anticipated opportunities and barriers to a successful PBC system in their schools—foresight. To this, secondary research was added to expand and verify.
Challenges Reported from the Top Down The PBC systems reviewed are part of TIF or the aggressive Race to the Top programs. While each has unique circumstances causing some disappointing results, there are four common failures or shortcomings that early adopters report (Eckert, 2010). Research into a comprehensive PBC system in Australia validated these same challenges (Education Services Australia, 2011; National Institute for Excellence in Teaching, 2007).
Sustained Growth in Student Performance Most PBC systems for teachers have failed empirically to demonstrate sustained growth in student performance. One PBC system awarded up to $15,000, and student performance improved for that teacher that year; however, in subsequent years, the same students’ performance lost some of the gain. Fundamentally, educators blame this decrease on the lack of competent teachers sustained on their faculty: when students move from an effective to a lesseffective teacher, their performance declines. PBC alone will not sustain student achievement; ensuring an effective teacher in every classroom will sustain achievement (Springer, 2010).
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