The state of Alaska will pay out more than $1.8 million to Alaska teachers and staff in the first year of a statewide incentive program designed to increase student achievement. In a news conference this morning, Education Commissioner Roger Sampson said 770 teachers and support staff in 42 schools will share in the payments for their work in improving student scores on standardized tests. Ninety-five percent of each school’s students had to take the standardized tests in reading, writing and math in order to qualify for the incentive. Schools receiving incentives were generally distributed between urban and rural — 19 in urban and small-town districts and 23 in rural and remote areas with a high Native student population.
Rosemarie Alexander, KTOO – Juneau
