HOUSTON -- A bright idea could end up as money in the bank for Houston Independent School District teachers after a plan announced Wednesday.

HISD superintendent Abelardo Saavedra said teachers would be paid a bonus for providing ideas on improving student performance. They could earn thousands of dollars for good instructional strategies, he said.

Saavedra asked that teachers submit formal proposals, which would be tried as pilot projects during the next school year.

"Our teachers are in the classroom every day working with children," Saavedra said. "We want to collect the very best ideas from our teachers and then spread those ideas throughout the school district to help children everywhere."

On April 18, all HISD teachers were contacted by e-mail and asked to submit their ideas for unique instructional models and an incentive bonus pay plan.

The programs would begin in the 2006-2007 school year, which begins in August.

Teachers are asked to submit their ideas by May 12. A committee of teachers and administrators will review the proposals and select up to 10 ideas to be used during the 2006-2007 school year.

The winning proposal will be announced on May 29.

In January, the HISD school board approved a plan to pay teachers bonuses of up to $3,000 next school year based on student performance on the TAKS test and national Stanford test.

HISD has 12,500 teachers. It is the largest school district in Texas and the seventh largest in America.