Analyzing the Motivational Potential of Financial Awards in a TIF Program
Commentary authors
Kathleen Mulvaney Hoyer
Cara Jackson
Betty Malen
Jennifer King Rice
Summary
Fueled in part by the Teacher Incentive Fund (TIF), a federal grant program that promotes the implementation of incentive pay in local contexts, compensation reforms have become prominent strategies for improving human capital in schools. The theory of action undergirding these programs assumes that financial incentives will motivate individuals to behave in certain ways (e.g. make certain career decisions, expend greater effort, engage in capacity-building professional development) that will increase human capital and, ultimately, improve performance.