I am Kyle's self-indulgence

The New York Times has a story about a charter school that is trying an education experiment to see if they can dramatically improve student performance by assembling an all-star staff of teachers drawn by huge salaries.

The descriptions of the teachers the school's principal hired is inspiring:

The eight winning candidates, he said, have some common traits, like a high "engagement factor," as measured by the portion of a given time frame during which students seem so focused that they almost forget they are in class. They were expert at redirecting potential troublemakers, a crucial skill for middle school teachers. And they possessed a contagious enthusiasm — which Rhena Jasey, 30, Harvard Class of 2001, who has been teaching at a school in Maplewood, N.J., conveyed by introducing a math lesson with, "Oh, this is the fun part because I looooooove math!" Says Mr. Vanderhoek: "You couldn’t help but get excited." Hired.

With teachers like that, I don't see how the school could fail.

How can the school afford to pay these all-star teachers $125,000 per year?

To make ends meet, teachers will hold responsibilities usually shouldered by other staff members, like assistant principals (there will be none). There will be no deans, substitute teachers (except for extended leaves) or teacher coaches. Teachers will work longer hours and more days, and have 30 pupils, about 6 more than the typical New York City fifth-grade class.

The principal, Mr. Vanderhoek, will earn just $90,000. Teachers will not have the same retirement benefits as members of the city’s teachers’ union. And they can be fired at will.

I love the the fact that the school is investing so many of their resources in classroom instruction (and that the principal is even paying himself less than the teachers). I can't wait to see the results.