Teacher and School Leader Incentive Grant
What is a TSL Grant?
Purpose of Program:
The Teacher and School Leader Incentive Grant (TSL) is a three-year education grant program funded by the US Department of Education that is designed to improve student learning as districts implement systemic change by: (1) developing, implementing, improving, or expanding comprehensive performance-based compensation systems (PBCS) or human capital management systems (HCMS) for teachers, principals, and other school leaders at high-need schools who raise academic achievement and close achievement gaps between high- and low-performing students; and (2) Studying the effectiveness, fairness, quality, consistency, and reliability of the PBCS and HCMS. The precursor to TSL was the Teacher Incentive Fund (TIF). TSL activities must concentrate on teachers, principals, or other school leaders serving in High-Need Schools (50% or more of its enrollment from low-income families, based on eligibility for free or reduced-price lunch or Community Eligibility Provision data).
TSL program and evaluation activities include:
(1) Improve educator evaluation and support systems to ensure they are fair, reliable, and credible
(2) Implement, as part of a comprehensive PBCS, differentiated levels of compensation, which may include bonus pay
(3) Improve the LEA’s system and process for the recruitment, selection, placement, and retention of educators in high-need schools
(4) Institute career advancement opportunities characterized by increased responsibility and pay that reward and recognize effective educators and enable them to expand their leadership and results
(5) Collect and report data and evaluation findings annually on performance measures, promising evidence, and program impact.
The Evaluation Group’s Experience with TSL and TIF:
- 2021 Winchester Public Schools, VA
- 2021 Iredell-Statesville Schools, NC
- 2017 Union County Public Schools, NC
- 2012 Charleston County School District, SC