Go Forward Pine Bluff has been awarded a grant of nearly $400,000 to expand merit pay awareness and student leadership.
According to a press release Wednesday, the $398,000 grant from the Walton Family Foundation is designed to get more teachers to participate in the LEARNS Act Merit Teacher Incentive Fund and expand student involvement and leadership opportunities.
Go Forward CEO Ryan Watley explained that the incentive fund offers bonuses of up to $10,000 for high performing teachers based on student growth in English Language Arts, Math or Science, and bonuses of up to $3,000 are available, again based on student growth scores and TESS ratings.
Watley said fewer than 2 percent of the teachers in the Pine Bluff and Watson Chapel Districts received merit pay during the 2023-24 school year and fewer than 5 percent during the 2024-25 school year. By comparison, the White Hall School District awarded 10 percent in 2023-24 and 15 percent in 2024-25. The McGehee School District awarded merit pay to nearly 24 percent in 2023-24 and 26 percent last year.
In addition to merit pay consulting, grant funds will be used to support teacher leadership and student engagement initiatives, including both academic and extracurricular activities.
Watley said money will be used to provide incentives to teachers who currently sponsor student activities or help launch new initiatives.
“In partnership with local school districts, our goal is to increase student engagement and involvement helping shape school culture and climate in a thriving environment.” Watley is quoted as saying.
Go Forward Pine Bluff will in the coming weeks host meetings with educators to begin merit pay consulting and share opportunities related to student engagement incentives.
