教師素質乃影響教育品質的重要因素，美國對中小學教師實施的表現本位付給計畫，用以提高教師專業素養，可作為我國改革師範教育的借鏡。本研究的目的有三：（一）探討美國功績付給計畫及生涯階梯計畫兩種表現本位付給計畫的背景、理論基礎及實施現況；（二）評析美國表現本位付給計畫的實施成效；（三）歸納研究發現，對我國教育提出建言。 　　本研究採取文獻分析法，蒐集資料，根據相關主題，欲兼顧橫向與縱向分析。 　　經過文獻分析之後，得出本研究的結論： 　　一、美國表現本位付給計畫乃師資改革的途徑。 　　二、表現本位付給計畫以教師表現的成績作為加給的依據，並具有一套評鑑系統來決定獎賞與否。 　　三、表現本位付給計畫面臨表現的定義、付給的作用、評鑑客觀性及財政負擔等問題。 　　四、兩種表現本位付給計畫中，生涯階梯計畫對教師職能分級，設有教學昇遷管道，安排較為完善，將成為美國表現本位付給計畫的主流。 　　根據研究結果，我國實施表現本位付給計畫，應採取下述措施： 　　一、在教育行政方面 　　　（一）制定表現本位付給計畫時，必須兼顧人事決策（考績）與輔導教師專業成長兩大目標。 　　　（二）深入研究並了解優良表現的內涵。 　　　（三）所安排之酬賞制度應能激發教師表現優良。 　　　（四）及早建立教師生涯階梯制度。 　　　（五）建立一套可信而有效的評鑑系統。 　　　（六）應設法贏得立法機構、教師及相關人員的支持與參與。 　　　（七）採取其他相關措施包括：準備足夠的經費、營造良好組織氣氛、改善教師工作生活的品質、建立教師換証制度、結合現行的教師實習制度及從地方到中央建立一套完備的進修制度。 　　二、學校方面 　　　（一）建立以學校為中心的教師進修制度。 　　　（二）成立校內評鑑委員會。 　　　（三）增加教師參與決定學校事務的機會。 / The performance-based pay plans that include merit pay plans and career ladder plans have emerged as one approach to improving the quality of teacher in America.Because of increasing criticism of educational standards and alleged decline in professional ability of teachers in our country, to base pay onteachers'performance in America is a solution of our educational problems.The three purposes of this study are (1) to investigate the history, relational theories and contents of performance-based pay plans , (2) to review theeffects of performance-based pay plans, and (3) to provide suggestions for ourteachers' education by the findings of this research.The literature analysis reveal that (1) Performance-based pay plans can improve the quality of teachers; (2) Performance-based pay plans have some problems including the difficults of a valid definition of performance, the issue of validity of using pay as a motivator, the complaints against evaluation systems, and high cost etc, ; (3)Career ladder plans which utilize the idea of career ladder that teacher canatuain higher pay and higher professional status will be the currently popular proposals of performance-based pay plans.The study yield a set of recommendations for the design of performance-based pay plans:(1) The purposes of plans are to make decisions about the retention, transfer, or dismissal of staff members and to help teachers about professional growth; (2) Good performance need be clearly studied and realized; (3) The reward system canmotivate teacher; (4) Teacher career ladders must be established; (5)The systemof evaluation is reliable and valid; (6)Legislature, teacher and others involvedsupport the plans; (7) The school-based in-service education system must be established; (8) Let teachers involve in making decisions about school; (9)other administrative policies are used.