It’s not a lot of money, not when compared to the $13.5 billion the state budget will likely contain for public schools over the next two years.

But at a cost of $7.5 million, it opens the door to something that might make a difference in some of our poorest schools – what budget documents call “challenging schools.”

For the first time the state will pay bonuses to its best teachers who choose to teach in schools with the highest poverty levels. These schools also tend to have the highest number of non-English speakers, the highest percentage of minority students and the lowest scores on standardized tests.

It is here where the achievement gap begins.

Pushed by state schools chief Terry Bergeson and included in Gov. Chris Gregoire’s budget, the program would extend an existing bonus for teachers with certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching.

Those teachers now get an extra $3,500 a year. Gregoire would change the flat amount to a bonus equal to 10 percent of a teacher’s salary – about $5,300 a year on average.

She’d then add two additional bonuses: $5,000 for national board-certified teachers who choose to work in a school where more than 70 percent of the students qualify for free or reduced-price lunches, and another $5,000 if those same teachers are certified in math or science.

That’s more than $10,000 a year to entice the best teachers to take on the challenge of the toughest schools.

The House budget has a nearly identical proposal. The Senate does not include the additional bonus for math and science teachers. The issue will be resolved in conference committee, most likely before the regular session ends April 22.

The bonus plan is the first attempt by the state to solve a bigger problem – the tendency for the toughest schools to have the least experienced teachers. As new teachers gain experience, they tend to seek transfers to schools that have higher achievement levels and more-involved parents.

It is a natural and understandable tendency because teaching in struggling schools takes an emotional and sometimes physical toll on teachers. But the result is that struggling schools not only have – on average – less-experienced teachers, but they also suffer the effects of high turnover as teachers move on once they gain experience.

At the same time, board-certified teachers tend to cluster together at the higher-performing schools.

One way to prompt staff mix is to offer combat pay to teachers willing to help close the achievement gap. Greg-oire starts with board-certified teachers. Because there are a relative handful of those right now – 1,310 in Washington – the program will have limited effect. But numbers are growing, with 408 winning certification this year.

It’s not easy. Teachers pay $2,500 just to apply (though some scholarships are available) and the process of test-taking and classroom observation can take a year or more. Not all who compete are certified.

Still, certification does identify some of the best teachers. And getting them into the schools that need them is worth the relatively small investment in bonuses.

“Our phones have been ringing off the hook,” Bergeson said. She thinks the money will be enough to bring certified teachers to struggling schools and give those already teaching there incentive to stick around.

“It will be a huge draw for people to do it,” she said. “And then they’ll start convincing their pals to come so they can get a team.”

The Senate and the Washington Education Association do not support giving the third bonus to math and science teachers, preferring that certified teachers and certified teachers in tough schools receive the same amount. But Bergeson said there’s a shortage of math and science teachers, which hurts struggling schools more.

“It’s a recruiting tool,” she said. “We can get the English teachers but not the math and science teachers.”

Peter Callaghan: 253-597-8657

peter.callaghan@thenewstribune.com