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REIDSVILLE - Qualified teachers plus at-risk students adds up to academic gains.

That's an equation Rockingham County school administrators have long known. Until recently, they lacked the resources to make it work.

But school officials have found a way to lure some of the best math and science teachers to instruct their lowest-performing students: dollars.

In the past school year, Rockingham County Schools used its Leandro funds - state dollars earmarked for disadvantaged students - to offer $15,000 supplements to teachers who signed on at Reidsville High School.

District officials credit the move with placing the right teachers in the right classrooms - and getting the right results. Reidsville High School, which remains on Judge Howard Manning Jr.'s list of low-performing schools, made huge gains on this year's end-of-course tests.

Gains were most notable in Algebra II, where preliminary results reveal 76 percent of students were proficient. Last year, only 37 percent of students tested proficient.

"What we looked for were teachers who were very accomplished in working with students to increase student achievement," said Terry Worrell, assistant superintendent for K-12 curriculum and instruction. "We are always looking at student growth, and someone who can get at least a year-plus growth is a measure of a very successful teacher."

The scores didn't shock Elaine McCollum, chairwoman of the Rockingham County Board of Education.

"My first reaction, my first gut instinct, was that I knew those kids could do it," she said. "The scores, obviously, came up all over the county to some extent, and that was just wonderful. I was proud of all the schools.

"I think that Reidsville just is up front there because it had so far to go with its test scores. I don't think that many people thought it could be done, and I'm just so proud of the school."

Rockingham school officials hope to keep the momentum going through a state pilot program involving the county and two other school districts, Columbus and Bertie counties.

In past years, that program has allowed for a $15,000 supplement for highly qualified math and science teachers with no more than three years of experience, said Cary Atkins, the district's executive director of human resources.

Superintendent Rodney Shotwell worked with Sens. Phil Berger, Marc Basnight and A.B. Swindell to amend the program's requirements and open it to more experienced teachers.

Shotwell and other school leaders said high teacher turnover also has been a part of the problem at Reidsville High. Many teachers have been lured by higher bonuses to districts such as neighboring Guilford County.

"The math department's been like a turnstile at a ballpark," Shotwell said of Reidsville High School.

But $15,000 is a powerful motivator.

The five teachers hired at Reidsville High last year all came from Guilford and had at least 20 years experience, Shotwell said.

School board Vice Chairwoman Amanda Bell said recruitment initiatives implemented by administrators show what can happen when schools are given the necessary resources.

"I just think we're seeing the results," Bell said.

Literacy and math coaches also were added at Reidsville High to work with teachers and students last year, Worrell said.

Worrell said the district wants to replicate what some of its top-performing teachers have been able to accomplish. Those educators are using the summer to create teaching guides to share with struggling and new teachers during the upcoming school year.

Contact Jonnelle Davis at 627-4881, Ext. 126, or jonnelle.davis@news-record.com