Q Comp was enacted through a bipartisan agreement in the Minnesota Legislature in July 2005. It is a voluntary program that allows local districts and exclusive representatives of the teachers to design and collectively bargain a plan that meets the five components of the law. The five components under Q Comp include Career Ladder/Advancement Options, Job-embedded Professional Development, Teacher Evaluation, Performance Pay, and an Alternative Salary Schedule.
 
Approved school districts receive up to $260 per student ($169 per student in state aid and $91 per student in board-approved levy) for the program. Charter schools, integration districts, intermediate districts and the Perpich Center for the Arts receive approximately $243 per student in state aid through an equalized levy since these entities do not have authority to impose local tax levies.
 
Currently, 52 Minnesota school districts and 56 charter schools have implemented programs or have been approved to implement Q Comp for the 2011-12 school year. These programs serve 470 school sites made up of a 16,878 Full-Time Equivalency (FTE) count for licensed staff and 245,739 students. Many additional districts have indicated plans to submit an application for future years.

Send questions or comments to mde.q-comp@state.mn.us.

 

Application

Document Download:

• Q Comp Application Form 
  This is the document districts, sites and charter schools are asked to complete to apply for Q Comp.
• Chart of Activity Funds 
  This activities fund document charts out UFARS object codes and program descriptions.
• Application Guidelines 
  Follow these guidelines to complete the Application for Q Comp. An FAQ is included.
• Q Comp Model Plan: Rural Districts 
  This document provides examples of how a group of rural districts (comprising different populations and characteristics) have structured Q Comp plans.
• Letter of Intent--District/Site/Intermediate District 
  Districts and sites (non-charter school) use this form for writing a Letter of Intent for implementing a planning year or waiving it.
• Letter of Intent--Charter School 
  Charter schools use this form for writing a Letter of Intent for implementing a planning year or waiving it.

Implementation

Document Download:

• Site SMART (Specific/Strategic, Measurable, Attainable, Results-based, Time-bound) Goal Guidelines 
  SMART goals offer clarity and transparency. Use the included process, examples and checklist as a guide to develop schoolwide SMART goals for Q Comp.
• Site Goal Approval Checklist 
  This Site Goal Approval Checklist covers the expectations for completing the annual Q Comp Site Goal Update Form. It will be used during the 2011-12 approval process.
• Site Goal Update Form 
  This form is to be used by all implementing districts as a means of updating annual site goals as outlined in Minn. Stat. 122A.414. Subd. 3(a).
• Q Comp Implementing Sites 2011-12 
  This spreadsheet identifies the sites within each of the school districts and charter schools that are implementing Q Comp for the 2011-12 school year.
• Annual Report Form 
  This form is used by all implementing districts as a means of completing the annual reporting requirements outlined in Minn. Stat. 122A.414. Subd. 3(a).
• Q Comp Plan Change Form 
  This plan change form is to be used by all implementing districts as a means of providing information to MDE regarding changes to a districts Q Comp program as outlined in Minn. Stat. 122A.414. Subd. 3(a).

Program Review

Document Download:

• Q Comp Program Review Process Memo 
  This memo announces the 2011-12 Q Comp Program Review process and provides the locations for all necessary materials and trainings.
• Q Comp Program Review Guidelines 
  These guidelines thoroughly explain the 2011-12 Q Comp Program Review process and include step-by-step instructions for completing the document review and the site review submission.
• Statement of Assurances-- School District 
  School Districts (non-charter school) complete this Statement of Assurances form to certify that the document review submission is complete and that the Facilitator and the Site Review Team have completed all required training prior to participating in a site review.
• Statement of Assurances--Charter School 
  Charter schools complete this Statement of Assurances form to certify that the document review submission is complete and that the Facilitator and the Site Review Team have completed all required training prior to participating in a site review.
• Site Review Report 
  Use this Site Review Report form for each site reviewed in the 2011-12 school year to record placement on each element of the Q Comp Program Review Rubric.
• Program Review Interview Questions 
  These questions are used during site review interviews of teacher leaders and licensed staff for the 2011-12 school year. This is aligned with the Q Comp Program Review Rubric and is one part of the program review process.
• Document Review Report (for information only) 
  MDE completes this Document Review Report form for each district to record the submitted documents.
• District Site Review Summary Report (for information only) 
  MDE completes this Document Review Report form for each district to record the submitted site reviews.
• Q Comp Program Review Rubric [2011-12] 
  The rubric used during the site review to review the implementation of four components of a Q Comp program for the 2011-12 school year. This is aligned with the Q Comp Interview Questions and is one part of the program review process.