By KRWG News
Texas – With most public schools opening Monday, many teachers will receive bonuses this fall from Texas' merit pay program.
The District Awards for Teacher Excellence, or DATE, is the largest merit pay plan in the nation.
Texas lawmakers set aside $397 million for DATE during the next two years.
The program is sending millions of dollars to Dallas and several other North Texas school districts that decided to participate.
About one in five districts in the state signed up for the plan last year and are expected to distribute bonuses -- based on 2009 Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills scores and other factors -- to qualifying teachers.
Some teacher organizations oppose giving extra money based on test scores.
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Information from:
The Dallas Morning News, http://www.dallasnews.com
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press.