Frequently Asked Questions

Administration  | Benefits  |  Employment  |  Mission Possible  |  Operations  |  Staffing

Why does Guilford County Schools need an incentive program?
Mission Possible was designed to attract and retain experienced and effective administrators and teachers who teach subjects that are part of state and federal accountability requirements.

What is the stated purpose of the Mission Possible program?
Mission Possible is a comprehensive teacher incentive program that combines multiple components to recruit and retain highly effective teachers and administrators for the ultimate goal of increasing student achievement in schools with critical needs.

What are the specific objectives of the Mission Possible program?

• The number of Mission Possible schools that meet Adequately Yearly Progress (AYP) will increase from 19 percent to 100 percent by 2011.
• The percentage of students in Mission Possible schools who pass the ABC’s end of course tests will increase from 56.2 percent (2004-05 data) to at least the state average of 74.8 percent (2004-05 data) by 2011.
• The teacher turnover rate for Mission Possible schools will decrease from: 33.1 percent (2004-05 data) in elementary schools to at least the North Carolina state average of 20 percent (2004-05 data) by 2011.
• 31.6 percent (2004-05 data) in middle schools to at least the North Carolina state average of 22 percent (2004-05 data) by 2011.
• 37.8 percent (2004-05 data) in high schools to at least the North
  Carolina state average of 19 percent (2004-05 data) by 2011.
  

How were schools selected to be a part of the Mission Possible program?
The selection of schools to participate was based on socio-economic factors, their AYP and ABC status and their teacher turnover rate. The educational needs of many children in these schools selected were being highly impacted by these factors, thus their education needs were not being met.

What are the funding sources for the Mission Possible program?
In April 2006, the Guilford County Board of Education authorized the funding of the Mission Possible program at 20 selected schools. In September of 2006, the UNC System and Action Greensboro awarded GCS a $2 million grant to pilot a Math Incentive Program (Cumulative Effect) at existing Mission Possible high schools and to include Eastern and Southern for the 2006-2007 school year.
In November of 2006, the US Department of Education awarded GCS an $8 million grant to expand the Mission Possible initiative to include an additional seven schools for the 2007-08 school year.


How is the Mission Possible program evaluated?
The evaluation of Mission Possible will be a collaborative effort. Guilford County Schools has contracted with the Serve Center (SERVE) to evaluate Mission Possible. The funds to pay SERVE for their evaluation are from the US Department of Education Teacher Incentive Fund (TIF) Grant funds. SERVE is a university-based education organization with the mission to promote and support the continuous improvement of educational opportunities for all learners in the Southeast.

If I do not want to participate in the Mission Possible program for whatever reason, can I stay in my Mission Possible school and/or slot and just “opt out?” 
No. It is vital to the students’ success and to the entire success of a Mission Possible school that the teachers in Mission Possible positions are all involved in the Mission Possible program goals, collaboration and training. Teachers who do not participate in the Mission Possible incentives and training will be allowed to transfer out of the Mission Possible School during the regular transfer period.

Class sizes for Algebra I and English I are supposed to be 20:1.  What happens if I have more than 20 students in my class?
Teachers are allocated to schools based upon this ratio.  As this number is an average class size ratio, your class my actually be above or below this number.

Is it necessary for elementary teachers to make growth in both reading and math in order to receive a performance incentive?
No.  In fact, your scores are weighted based upon the number of tested students in each course.  They are then combined to create a composite score.  Using that score, we are able to determine your positive impact on student growth.  Therefore, it is possible to make high growth in one subject but not in the other while still receiving a performance bonus.


When and how do we find out about our individual students’ growth?
No need to wait for the Mission Possible Office!  Your student scores are available at the end of each school year.  You can use scale scores to measure individual student growth in most cases.  To see your Value-Added Data, you will have to wait until the following school year.  Once local data is received and approved by the state, Guilford County Schools sends it on to SAS, Inc. to be used for generating a Value-Added Score.  This year, VAD is available to principals and teachers in November.  This is earlier than in previous years.


Do I have to pay Mission Possible incentives out of Title I money?
No.  Local and grant funding pays for all Mission Possible incentives.  No Title I money is used for salary incentives.


I’m a VIF teacher.  Am I eligible for Mission Possible Incentives?
Yes!  Any teacher in a qualifying Mission Possible position can receive incentives.


I am a math teacher making a $2,500 recruitment incentive.  How can I earn the $9,000 recruitment incentive like some of my colleagues?
The grant guidelines state that a math teacher who holds a degree in math or 24 content hours in math, with a C or above, is eligible to receive a $9,000 recruitment incentive each year.  When teaching Algebra I, the incentive increases to $10,000.  Teachers wanting to increase their incentive can take additional math courses online, face-to-face, or, if you are a high school teacher, through the Cumulative Effect Summer Math Institute.  Each semester, Barbara Campbell reviews newly submitted transcripts in order to insure the accuracy of incentives paid.


If I am a K-2 teacher but would like to teach 3-5 to be eligible for the performance incentive, how do I do that?
First, make sure that you are licensed to teach in grades 3-5.  Then, let your principal know that you would be interested in teaching at a higher grade level.  Each semester, position assignments are reviewed for the purpose of determining incentives.  If you move into a 3rd-5th position, you will sign a new contract that covers any performance incentive you might receive.

What types of financial incentives are available for Mission Possible teachers?
There are two types of Mission Possible financial incentives, recruitment/retention and performance. Recruitment/retention incentives are paid out during the school year in monthly increments for 10 months. Performance incentives (based on test score data) for teachers cannot be accurately calculated or paid out until state test score data is received from North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (DPI) in late summer/early fall and until Teacher effect data (Value-Added) is received from SAS/EVAAS (Cary, NC). As a result, performance incentives are not paid out until late November of the next school year or until test data is received and verified.

How are annual recruitment incentives paid?
Recruitment incentives are reoccurring per eligibility and are paid over 10 months (August to May) in equal installments as a part of your regular paycheck.

How are performance incentives paid?
Performance Incentives are paid the following school year in late November after the NC Department of Public Instruction releases student data, Guilford County Schools conducts a Student-Teacher Linkage verification, and SAS generates Value-Added Data for each teacher.

I am a 4th grade teacher who teaches both reading and math.  Do I need to make high growth in both subjects in order to qualify for the $4,000 performance incentive?
No.  SAS generates a composite score that reflects the value you add to your students’ performance in both subject areas.  You will receive a Level I or II indication on your score report that will indicate which incentive you are eligible to receive.  Level I = $2,500, Level II= $4,000.

If I teach both Math and Algebra 1, which Value Added Scores will be used to determine performance incentives?
A composite teacher score generated by SAS will determine your effect level.

How much have Mission Possible teachers been paid so far?
As of April 30, 2007, Mission Possible teachers have been paid $1,324,989 in teacher recruitment/retention incentives.

I am a high school Algebra I teacher who only teaches Algebra I during the fall semester.  Am I eligible for the $1,000 incentive all year long?
No.  You are only eligible to receive incentives during your qualifying semesters.  In order to qualify, you must be teaching Algebra I.  Your incentive will be paid only during the time in which you teach Algebra I.  The same would be true of a teacher who only teaches math during one semester.

 
If I am on a leave of absence, do I still receive the incentive/bonus?
No. You must be physically present at work to receive the additional pay.

I am an EC teacher.  Am I eligible for a recruitment incentive?
Yes.  Guilford County Schools will pay you a recruitment incentive by placing you at 2 steps higher on the salary schedule.  However, you are not eligible for any additional incentives.

How will 3rd grade growth scores be calculated for performance incentives this year without a reading pre-test?
Third grade growth scores will be based upon math scores only for the 2008 EOG.


Can performance incentives be paid in a separate check?
Yes.  Performance incentives will be paid at the tax rate that yields each teacher the greatest net.  They will be cut as separate checks.

I don’t want to miss student days to fulfill my Mission Possible professional development requirements.  Are there any evening or weekend workshops?
Yes!  Several new evening and weekend workshops have been added.  Check out our course offerings for information on new times and dates.

If I am a Mission Possible incentive-receiving faculty member, do I have to attend all of the required professional development training?
Yes.  By not attending the required Professional Development training that corresponds to your grant participation year, you will automatically forfeit your incentives.  You have from June 1 the summer prior to each school year thru June 30 the summer after each school year to participate in the required training.  This gives you 13 months in which to complete each year’s worth of training.

None of the summer dates work for some of my teachers who are teaching summer school or who are on vacation.  Will there be school year sessions also available for them?
Make-Up Sessions are primarily for teachers who were hired after the summer courses ended. However, teachers who have legitimate summer conflicts may request permission from their principal to use professional development days to take a session during the school year.

If I am a faculty member at a Mission Possible school that does not receive an incentive, can I still attend Mission Possible professional development?
No.  Due to limited budget and trainer capacity, only incentive-receiving teachers are eligible to participate in Mission Possible professional development sessions.

I am a Year 2 Mission Possible teacher working in a Year 1 school.  What training do I take?
You take the training that corresponds to your participation in a Mission Possible program.  If this is your first participation year, you would take Undoing Racism and Cooperative Learning.  If this is your second participation year, you would take TESA and Differentiated Instruction.

I finished my Mission Possible workshop…where is my stipend check?
Stipends are calculated at the end of each calendar month.  Checks are cut and mailed the first week of each month for courses completed the previous month.

I have teachers who have already taken training courses that are similar to those courses required for Mission Possible incentive-receiving teachers. Can a teacher be excused from taking a required course?  
If a teacher feels that they have taken an equivalent course, they may contact the Mission Possible Office to request a waiver.  In order for a course to qualify for equivalency, it must pass three tests:

• The course must have been completed within the last two years.
• The course must be equal to or greater than the time length of the Mission Possible course.
• The course content must be roughly 80% equivalent to the Mission Possible course.

Teachers wanting a course waived should send evidence of course completion as well as a course content outline to the Mission Possible Office as a part of their waiver request.  The request will be reviewed and a decision will be communicated to the faculty member by the Mission Possible Office.

If I am a year 1 Mission Possible teacher, can I take year 2 courses?
No.  Our professional development sessions are scheduled based upon the number of teachers required to take courses each year.  In order to not overload these courses and create waitlists of people who are required to attend, we respectfully request that you not take courses early.

I am a math teacher making a $2,500 recruitment incentive.  How can I earn the $9,000 recruitment incentive like some of my colleagues?
The grant guidelines state that a math teacher who holds a degree in math or 24 content hours in math, with a C or above, is eligible to receive a $9,000 recruitment incentive each year.  When teaching Algebra I, the incentive increases to $10,000.  Teachers wanting to increase their incentive can take additional math courses online, face-to-face, or, if you are a high school teacher, through the Cumulative Effect Summer Math Institute.  Each semester, Barbara Campbell reviews newly submitted transcripts in order to insure the accuracy of incentives paid.

If I teach math in a Mission Possible high school and I am receiving Mission Possible incentives, do I also have to participate in the Cumulative Effect Initiative?
Yes. It is vital to the students’ success and to the success of both the Mission Possible program and the Cumulative Effect Initiative that the teachers in Mission Possible positions are all involved in both. Teachers who do not wish to participate in the Mission Possible program and the Cumulative Effect Initiative will be allowed to transfer out of the Mission Possible school during the regular transfer period.

I am a high school math teacher participating in the Cumulative Effect Initiative.  Do I have to attend TESA training?
No.  Cumulative Effect Project teachers are required to attend the Summer Math Institute, the Cumulative Effect Seminar Support Series during each school year, and Undoing Racism training.  They are exempt from Cooperative Learning, Differentiated Learning, and TESA.