Many people have ideas on possible incentives that will lead to improved teacher performance. One of the most common ideas is financial rewards for the teachers of students who perform well on state and national tests. Here is an article that discusses various incentives.

National Education Policy Center (1/12/2012). Tapping into what makes teachers tick. Retrieved 1/12/2012 from http://us4.campaign-archive1.com/?u=b4ad2ece093459cbf2afb759f&id=fd055b1f4f&e=f5144fcf99.

Brief Summary: Research shows that incentive programs that merely pay teachers for student test scores produce limited results; other incentives are more popular with teachers, produce better outcomes, and can be used to spread expertise to colleagues.