D.C. Schools Staff Get Bonuses for Student Improvements

WASHINGTON - District of Columbia officials handed out surprise bonuses Tuesday morning to staff members at three public schools where student reading and math scores increased by more than 20 percent last year.

Mayor Adrian Fenty and Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee distributed monetary gifts from a federal program to the first winners of the TEAM awards. The schools recognized were Barnard, Noyes and Tyler elementary schools.

Principals of the three schools received $10,000, while teachers got $8,000 each. Librarians and counselors were given $4,000. But the educators weren't the only ones to get recognized. The schools' support staffs and custodians each received $2,000.

The program is a partnership between the school system, the Washington Teachers' Union and the nonprofit group New Leaders for New Schools. New Leaders helps raise private funds, but most of the money for the awards comes from the U.S. Department of Education.

Information from The Washington Post

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