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Transfer Incentives for High-Performing Teachers: Final Results from a Multisite Randomized Experiment
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Transfer Incentives for High-Performing Teachers: Final Results from a Multisite Randomized Experiment

Published: Nov 30, 2013
Publisher: Washington, DC: National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education
Human Services Education Teacher and Principal Effectiveness

Associated Project

Talent Transfer Initiative: Attracting and Retaining High-Performing Teachers in Low-Performing Schools

Time frame: 2007-2014

Prepared for:

U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences

U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Evaluation

Authors

Steven Glazerman

Ali Protik

Bing-ru Teh

Julie Bruch

Jeffrey Max

Key Findings

  • TTI increased test scores in elementary schools, but not in middle schools.
  • Most TTI teachers stayed on the job even after payments ended.
  • Compared with similar interventions, TTI was more cost-effective.
This report, the results of a multisite randomized experiment, looks at the Talent Transfer Initiative, which offers a $20,000 incentive to high-performing teachers to move to low-performing schools. The intervention had positive effects on student test scores in math and reading in elementary schools—the equivalent of a 4 to 10 percentile point increase.

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