ProComp Frequently Asked Questions
Market Incentives
Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions related to Market Incentives. To view other topics, please return to FAQs.
Q. Can a teacher quality for more than one Market Incentive such as a hard-to-staff position in a hard-to-serve school?
A. Yes, as long at the teacher or student service professional has fulfilled all the requirements and the position requires those qualifications. For example, a secondary or alternative school math teacher assigned to an ELA-S classroom would receive both incentives, as long as he or she was designated as an ELA-S teacher, has passed the Spanish Proficiency Test and has completed the four ELA units of professional development, or has a linguistically diverse state endorsement or a masters in ESL (or equivalent) and is qualified as a secondary or alternative school math teacher. The same ELA-S math teacher could receive an additional incentive if he or she worked at a hard-to-serve school.
Q. What are the pre-requisites for receiving the Hard-to-Serve school market incentive?
A. To be eligible to receive a hard-to-serve school market incentive, the teacher or SSP must:
- Opt into ProComp
- Work in an identified Hard to Serve school
- Hold a current CDE license or TiR authorization: or
- Have worked in an identified Hard to Serve school but was transferred through no fault of their own and commits in writing to be placed in any other Hard to Serve school
Q. What are the pre-requisites for receiving a Hard-to-Staff assignment market incentive?
A. To be eligible to receive a hard-to-staff assignment market incentive, the educator must:
- Opt into ProComp
- Work in an identified Hard to Staff assignment
- Qualify for the assignment based on Colorado Department of Education or DPS standards, whichever is more rigorous
- Have worked in an identified Hard to Staff assignment but was transferred through no fault of their own and commits in writing to be placed in another Hard to Staff assignment should one become available.
Q. How long will a Hard to Staff position remain on the list?
A. Hard to Staff positions are analyzed each year and are subject to change annually. The swing in availability of employees to staff various positions is affected each year by graduations and migration of employees around the United States.
Q. Who will determine Hard to Staff/Hard to Serve? Will the principals have a role in making that decision?
A. These data-driven decisions were made by the Market Incentives Work Group and approved by the Transition team. The first list of hard to serve schools and hard to staff positions for 2005-2006 were identified by the Market Incentives work group and approved by the Transition Team in March 2005. Hard to staff positions are based on market factors that lead to a shortage of qualified applicants. These positions may change over time. The criteria and lists for both incentives will be reviewed annually.
Six schools and three positions were approved by the Transition Team in January 2008 to be added to the list of hard-to-serve schools and hard-to-staff positions for 2008-2009.
Q. What is the role of the supervisor in implementing Market Incentives for hard-to-staff positions and hard-to-serve schools?
A. Market Incentives are implemented by verifying a teacher’s role and assignment through the district’s databases and the automated payroll calculator. In a very small number of cases, principals and managers may be contacted to verify the amount of time an educator spends in a hard-to-serve assignment or hard-to-staff school.
Q. What happens to teachers in a Hard to Staff school if there is a Reduction in Building (R.I.B.) and they need to move because of cuts (not their choice)?
A. When a teacher is forced out of a Market Incentive school or position they will continue to receive the pay through the next year if they volunteer for the same type of Market Incentive school or position for the following year.
Q. When will the Hard to Serve and Hard to Staff payments be paid?
A. The payments for Market Incentives will be made in monthly installments upon completion of service each month. In the 2007-2008 school year. For 2008-2009, the payments will be made lump sum in June 2009.
Q. Do Hard to Staff position teachers have to stay a certain number of years? Also, do they get that payment every year?
A. The Market Incentives payments will be given every month at the end of the month as long as that qualified teacher remains in the Hard to Staff position. The educator will continue to receive the payments as long as he/she is in that qualifying position and the position continues to be recognized as Hard to Staff. In 2008-2009, the educator will need to work 89 days in the Hard to Staff position to receive the lomp sum payment in June 2009.