Programs such as HISD’s ASPIRE program improve teacher attendance, retention and increased students’ test scores, according to a study released by Rice University.

The study evaluated award-eligible teachers from HISD’s 279 schools to determine if receiving a monetary reward during the 2009-2010 school year positively influenced teacher outcomes in 2010-2011, according to a news release.

The complete report is available on the website for Rice’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research.

The ASPIRE program (Accelerating Student Progress: Increasing Results and Expectations) began during the 2006-07 school year.