[flycaliguy]

Pay teachers based on performance and you eliminate the incentive for them to challenge the students. There would be a certain "classroom management" style of teaching that would become dominant and really force out the little bit of engaging and challenging content left in there.

The Finish model seems to be the best. Introduce this competitive element not on the job but on the way to the job. Pay for a teacher's education, right up to a required Masters degree, and attract ambitious bright young minds to the profession. Combine that with paid time in which teachers must consult with each other regarding in need individuals so as to handle disturbances and distractions from learning as best as possible. Toss in a breakfast program while you're at it and lets light up some young minds!

[reuven]

Precisely: Part of Finland's genius was in realizing that you can't easily get rid of bad teachers. So they created big incentives for potentially good teachers to consider teaching, and blocked potentially bad teachers from entering.

For example, they shut down teacher's colleges, and mandated a university degree for all teachers. This took political guts, but it has paid off.