New York State Awarded $40.5 Million Teacher Incentive Fund Grant

Education Commissioner David M. Steiner announced today that the New York State Education Department was awarded $40,484,621 in Teacher Incentive Fund (TIF) grant by the United States Education Department to create a performance based compensation system in 68 high-need schools in New York City, Rochester, Syracuse and Yonkers.  The funding will be delivered over the five year length of the project.

Steiner said, "I am delighted by the news of our TIF grant award.  This project will serve as a model for scaling up performance-based compensation systems in districts throughout New York State.  Our proposal builds on the Board of Regents' innovative policy decision to create teacher and principal ladders aligning with the Regents' broader goal of strengthening educator effectiveness to increase student achievement."

The TIF program seeks to reward excellence, attract teachers and principals to high-need and hard-to-staff areas and provide all teachers and principals with the feedback and support they need to succeed.  Teachers and principals who demonstrate effectiveness by improving student achievement and assuming leadership responsibilities will be rewarded at differentiated levels. 

The New York State Education Department was one of five winners in New York State and one of only nine state education agencies to win a TIF grant.