DENVER -- The Denver Public Schools administration wants to restructure the district’s current ProComp program.

Denver taxpayers approved the pay for performance plan in 2005 with the hope of raising teacher pay in the city’s schools.

The program was lauded as a landmark program. Teachers were given bonuses tacked on to their base salary for meeting certain district goals.

Three years later, the plan is up for review. The district said it needs to be revamped because taxpayer money is going to waste and it’s not being used the way taxpayers intended.

On average, taxpayers pump $25 million into the program. Each year, the district only distributes about $7 million. The district said that’s because there isn’t enough incentive to sign up for the bonuses.

The district’s current proposal calls for the tripling of those incentives. They said that would prompt more teachers to sign up for the program, it would help them retain and attain teachers and hold them accountable for their performance.

The Denver Teachers Classroom Association (DCTA) said they support bonuses but would like to see the base salary of all Denver teachers go up as well.

DCTA has said the district’s current proposal favors newer teachers and puts veteran teachers at a disadvantage by creating a salary ceiling. The district disagrees and said the veterans already have a higher base than new teacher’s salary.

They also said each year 90 percent of the teachers receive at least one incentive increase as well as a 7 percent cost of living adjustment to their base.

Both sides hope to hammer out the details by Sunday. A federal mediator is in town for at least three days talking with both sides.

While some worry there could be a strike if a deal isn’t reached, many say “job action” such as a “sick-out” is more feasible.