Case Studies: Overview | Eagle County | ProComp | Q Comp | TAP


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The Quality Compensation for Teachers, or Q Comp, program came into law in July 2005 under the guidance of Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty. Designed in large part after the Teacher Advancement Program (TAP) model, the Q Comp program seeks to expand teacher career opportunities, provide high-quality professional development and reward effective teaching.

Over 70 districts and charter schools are currently implementing Q Comp and a recent report by Hezel Associates found a positive correlation between the Q Comp program and student achievement. Another report, prepared by the Minnesota Department of Education, discovered that participating schools in the Minneapolis Public Schools system demonstrated growth on high stakes testing as measured by the district’s value-added model known as Quality Performance Indicators.

Q Comp website


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The Q Comp program contains five elements – multiple career paths or career ladders, job-embedded professional development, teacher evaluations and observations, and performance pay.

Multiple Career Paths or Career Ladders
Career ladders provide teachers with multiple career paths that allow for professional growth and promotion without leaving the classroom. Teacher leaders are selected for their exceptional instructional expertise and their ability to facilitate professional development opportunities for adult learners. Teacher leaders are responsible for participating in the school leadership team, planning team and individual learning opportunities, performing observations and providing feedback, and offering in-the-classroom support through model teaching, team teaching, and coaching.

Each participating school or district has the latitude to decide the structure of their local career ladder, the titles given to the various teacher leader positions, and the stipends available to reward these leaders for their additional responsibilities.

Sample Career Ladders:

The Career Ladder Evaluation Form provides one example of how a district might evaluate individuals holding career ladder positions.

Job-embedded Professional Development
Professional development typically occurs during sanctioned Professional Learning Community time that serves as a complement to workshop activities by embedding ongoing support and feedback into the school week. It is critical that the professional development offered at the school site align with the stated goals of the campus improvement plan and that the professional development offerings build on prior learning.

Each Q Comp applicant is required to submit a year long professional development calendar and is encouraged to create a scope and sequence for weekly team professional development sessions as well. Q Comp peer reviewers evaluate these plans for their alignment with campus goals and for measurable indicators of teacher and student progress.

Sample Professional Development Plans:

Teacher Evaluations and Observations
The Q Comp program moves beyond the standard checklist instruments to more rigorous, standards-based observation and evaluation tools. Rubrics must be used by a locally selected evaluation team composed of members of the school leadership team who are charged not only with conducting observations, but also with providing follow-up feedback and support. Q Comp requires that evaluations occur at least 3 times a year, but may be done more frequently. Pre- and post-observation conferences are also encouraged.

Sample Teacher Evaluation Plans:

Performance Pay
Performance pay plans are all locally designed, which provides flexibility in the type of performance awards that are offered (e.g. one-time bonuses or base-building salary increases), the amount of performance awards, and the criteria for earning an award.

Performance pay proposals must meet three requirements: (1) all educators in the bargaining unit – including specialists and teachers of non-core subjects – must be included in the performance pay plans; (2) 60% of the performance award must be based on teacher evaluations, measures of student achievement and school-wide student achievement gains on a standards-based assessment, while the other 40% can be based on non-performance factors such as cost of living or market competitiveness; and (3) performance pay plans cannot reduce any teacher’s earnings as a result of their school’s or district’s participating in Q Comp.

Sample Performance Pay Plans:

Salary Schedule
Applicants create locally-designed teacher compensation salary schedules that transform the traditional longevity-driven step-and-lane salary schedule into one that is performance-driven. Changes to the salary schedule work in tandem with performance-based bonuses to fundamentally change the school’s or district’s compensation system.


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The following resources provide additional information on the application process, funding, and implementation of the Q Comp program.

Application Process
Districts or charters can submit an application for the Q Comp program following an approval vote by the school board and teachers or their representatives. Applications are evaluated by a team of peer reviewers who vet proposals against established standards and rubrics. Once approved for Q Comp funds, teachers in participating schools and districts may not opt out of the plan. View sample applications from Grand Meadow, Lac qui Parle Valley, and Mounds View.

Funding
The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) grants each participating district or school $169 per student in state aid – with the option of imposing up to an additional $91 per student in local levies – to assist in the implementation of the five components of the Q Comp program. These funds can be used in a variety of ways including salary supplements, performance awards, stipends for teacher leaders, teacher pay for additional professional development days, and data support.

Implementation
Upon being selected for the Q Comp program, participating schools or districts take a full year to develop their local program. After the initial program is accepted by MDE, district and school leaders are responsible for hiring appropriate personnel, organizing school-based leadership teams, developing professional development goals and creating a timeline for professional development aligned with the school or district improvement plan. Districts are then ready for full implementation of the Q Comp program.

Compliance
Each year, participating schools and districts submit a variety of documents, including the Implementation Update form, verifying that the Q Comp elements have been faithfully implemented. Other indicators that help to ensure compliance are the required annual report, plan change, and site goal update information.

Program Reviews
The Program Review is a combination of the Peer Review results and the Document Review appraisal. The Document Review is the result of the physical review of submitted documents and any follow-up that is needed. For the Peer Review, Q Comp utilizes peer reviewers who perform site visits and interviews to offer feedback on the implementation of a program. The recommendations and commendations are catalogued in the Peer Review Report. These peer reviewers undergo extensive training to prepare them for their roles.

Review the full Program Review Process Guide.

S.M.A.R.T Goals
The Q Comp school improvement model centers around the creation of goals for student achievement. These goals are critical as the professional development and performance-based pay programs are designed to align with these expressed goals. Q Comp promotes S.M.A.R.T. (Specific/Strategic, Measurable, Attainable, Results-based, Time-bound) goals and devotes professional development time for the creation and discussion of school-wide goals.

Sample S.M.A.R.T. goals:

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