A city private school fumbles in its merit pay experiment

Much of the debate about merit pay for teachers has focused on theoretical arguments. But for Robin Aufses, the English department chair at a private school in Manhattan, the issue is anything but abstract.

Aufses helped lead an experiment at her school last year in new ways of evaluating teachers. Starting in September, administrators plan to assign bonuses based on the evaluations. For now, Aufses writes in the GothamSchools community section, “Good thing it turned out to be a pilot program.”

Read Aufses’ entire account of the good, the bad, and the sticky in her school’s merit pay experiment. And let us know if you have an experience of your own you’d like to share.