Hamilton, NJ, Sep 28, 2012 - Rutgers University has been awarded $7.8 million by the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) for the first two years of a five-year, $39 million project to help train and reward effective teachers at high-need schools in four New Jersey school districts, including Lakewood School District.
    
    The Teacher Incentive Fund (TIF) grant was one of only 35 grants awarded across the country to improve educator performance by providing evidenced-based professional development and rewarding effective teachers and principals and provide better professional opportunities to teachers in high poverty schools. Funding over the first two years is estimated to be a total of $7.8 million for school districts in Asbury Park, Hillside, Lakewood and North Plainfield. The total cost of Rutgers’ School System Improvement (SSI) is estimated to be $39,705,302 over five years.

    “The Lakewood School District is a high poverty school district looking to turn a corner.  This supportive federal funding will help enable the school board, administrators and teachers to work together in establishing better evaluation systems, professional development programs and appropriate means for rewarding and retaining effective teachers and principals so that Lakewood schools offer a better learning environment for our children,” said Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), who worked with the school district and the university and notified them of the success of their application.  “I congratulate both Rutgers and the Lakewood School District. This ultimately is all about the students, and improving the education that can make a difference in their lives.”

    TIF grants are designed to invest in effective teachers and principals in struggling schools that face poverty and other educational challenges. The 2012 TIF program promotes the improvement of teacher compensation systems through career ladders or performance-based pay. 

    Rutgers’ project will implement a comprehensive system that includes educator evaluation. The SSI project seeks to increase the number of effective teachers and principals, and increase student growth in achievement.