HOUSTON (AP) _ More than 15,000 employees of the Houston Independent School District are sharing in a record distribution of $31.4 million in performance bonuses for helping boost student test scores last year.
The payout is the most distributed since the controversial performance pay system was launched three years ago. Last year, the payout was about $24 million.
HISD’s bonus system is among the largest in the country and was unanimously approved by the school board in 2006 over objections from teacher groups.
Superintendent Abelardo Saavedra received the biggest reward — earning $77,500 of the $80,000 maximum award allowed under his contract. The bonus is on top of his annual salary of $327,010.
The Houston Chronicle reports more than 2,100 school employees did not receive a bonus. And 21 HISD employees chose to opt out of the bonus program this year, meaning they would not receive money even if they earned it.