State Board of Education members on Thursday cleared the way for performance bonuses to be paid to third grade teachers and high school teachers of Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses whose students achieved strong outcomes last year on standardized tests. Funds for the bonus pay were appropriated by the General Assembly last year based on students' test scores during the 2015-16 school year.

The General Assembly appropriated $4.3 million to pay teachers of AP and IB students bonuses based on exams taken in the 2015-16 school year. Teachers would receive $50 per exam for students attaining a grade 3 or above on AP or 4 or above on IB, with a maximum of $2,000 per teacher per year. To be eligible, the teacher must be teaching advanced courses in the same district.

About 1,300 third grade teachers who were in the top 25 percent statewide according to last year’s EVAAS student growth index score for reading will share $5 million, or about $3,523 per teacher.

In addition, third grade teachers are eligible for a separate $5 million local allocation for bonus pay if they were in the top 25 percent of teachers in their respective districts, also based on the same EVAAS measure. These teachers must still be employed in the same school district and teaching third grade. Those bonuses range from $1,824 to $8,770, depending on district size and numbers of eligible teachers. Funding for the locally provided bonuses was distributed according to district K-12 average daily membership as directed in the law.

A breakdown for bonus payout by district is available on the State Board’s website by clicking on the Board’s agenda (click on Meetings Tab then click on either the Jan. 4 or 5 Board agenda link) then scrolling to BSOP 1 – Bonuses for Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate Allotments or BSOP 3 – Third Grade Teacher Reading Bonus Allotments.

In other business, the board approved proposals for 13 new schools under the state’s provision for Cooperative Innovative High Schools. The proposals will now advance for review by the governing boards of the UNC system and NC Community Colleges with which the schools would partner.

The board also heard detailed presentations about the state’s ongoing digital learning plan, school connectivity initiative, processes for standards revisions for English Language Arts, K-8 and fourth-level math in high school.

The complete list of this month’s Board actions is available on the Board’s website. The Board’s January agenda as well as supporting executive summaries are available online by clicking on the SBE Meetings tab.

At their December meeting, Board members considered more than 20 potential policy items for the General Assembly to consider when it convenes its 2017 long session on Wednesday, Jan. 11.

Board members selected the following as their top policy priorities for the 2017 long session:
*  pay increases for teachers and administrators and reinstatement of master’s and doctoral pay;
*  strengthened professional development;
*  funding for capital infrastructure for local schools;
*  additional resources for early childhood education and preschool;
*  increased allotments for additional teachers;
*  resources to help districts adopt a “whole school, whole community, whole child” framework to strengthen and support students;
*  additional classroom instructional resources and digital learning resources; and
*  modifications to the A-F school performance grades.

Congratulations to the following North Carolina Virtual Public School teachers who were recently named finalists for the 2016-17 NCVPS Teacher of the Year:

*  Joy Crosby – Occupational Course of Study Algebra
*  Kimberly Rushton – English IV Honors
*  Teryn Odom – Spanish II
*  Shara Packman – Latin I
*  Laurie Sloan – Advanced Placement Art History

The NCVPS 2016-17 Teacher of the Year will be announced in February.

Do you know a principal, teacher, administrator, support staff or volunteer who demonstrates an extraordinary commitment to student success? Someone who exemplifies leadership in education? Someone you believe has made a significant impact on students in North Carolina?

Then consider nominating them for the Champion for Student Success award. NCDPI will recognize individuals tapped for this award during the 2017 Collaborative Conference for Student Achievement (CCSA). The purpose of the award is to share our collective belief in the power of public education and to celebrate our local schools and the people who contribute to their critical value and continuing improvement.

Visit the CCSA Champion Awards web page for information on submitting a nomination, nomination criteria, selection criteria, and application process. Completed forms are due no later than 5 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 1. And, while there, consider registering for the conference!