[M. Dodge Thomas]

Seems to me it would make the most sense to pay a very substantial bonus for improvement in test scores, which would direct teaching talent were public education most needs it, at under-performing students.

As it stands the incentives are perverse, in most places the teachers in affluent districts working under the best conditions with the easiest to teach students are the most highly paid.

If teachers and adminsitratorshad to produce improvement in test scores to increase their income, and the greater the improvement the greater the increase, market forces should re-direct teaching talent to the places were the greatest improvement is possible, the schools and students with the lowest current relative performance.

Of course, it might be that no matter how motivated and skillful the teachers and administrators their efforts would be overwhelmed by other factors,

But if so, we would at least have a convincing demonstration of the limits of schools in effecting such improvements, and to move on with greater confidence to other sorts of efforts.

[summer]

which would direct teaching talent were public education most needs it, at under-performing students.

No, I don't think experienced, higher paid teachers at affluent, white schools will run over to the worst schools in a district in order to perhaps get students to show more "improvement" (and earn a $2,000 bonus). Many teachers leave the public school system entirely to teach in private schools where the pay is LOWER but the quality of the student (and parent) is higher.