Talent Transfer Initiative (TTI)
About the Intervention
The Talent Transfer Initiative (TTI) is a teacher transfer incentive program designed to redistribute high-performing teachers from higher-achieving schools to low-achieving schools within a district. The program identifies the top 20% of teachers based on value-added measures of student achievement growth and offers them $20,000 paid over two years to transfer to and remain in one of the district's lowest-achieving schools (bottom 20% by test scores). Teachers already in low-achieving schools who are identified as high-performing receive $10,000 retention stipends. The program targets grades 3-8 in math and reading/ELA. Implementation involves value-added analysis to identify candidates, recruitment of both teachers and receiving-school principals, voluntary interviews and hiring, and a half-day orientation. Site managers facilitate the matching process between candidates and schools. The program was implemented in 10 large, economically diverse school districts across 7 states, serving elementary (grades 3-5) and middle schools (grades 6-8).
Statistical Findings
Positive effect: on elementary school math scores in year 1
Positive effect: on elementary school reading scores in year 1
Positive effect: on elementary school math scores in year 2
Positive effect: on elementary school reading scores in year 2
No effect: on middle school math scores in year 1
No effect: on middle school reading scores in year 1
No effect: on middle school math scores in year 2
Negative effect: on middle school reading scores in year 2
Positive effect: on teacher retention during payment period
No effect: on teacher retention after payments ended
More Intervention Details
Focus Areas
Economically DisadvantagedPrograms & Services
General Education, Title IDelivery Methods
Face-to-FaceDisability Support
N/ATarget Groups
Teachers/Instructional Teams, Schoolwide PolicyCitation
Bing-ru, T., Bruch, J., Glazerman, S., Max, J. & Protik, A. (2013). Transfer Incentives for High-Performing Teachers: Final Results from a Multisite Randomized Experiment. NCEE 2014-4003 (ED544269). ERIC. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED544269.pdf.
Study Demographics
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Participant Race
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Participant Gender
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Other Participant Characteristics
Geographical Setting
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