The Pinellas school district has applied for a multi-million-dollar federal grant to develop a performance pay system for teachers and principals at four struggling middle schools: Azalea, Bay Point, John Hopkins and Pinellas Park.

If awarded in September, the Teacher Incentive Fund grant could bring Pinellas $7.5 million or more over five years. Pinellas would use the 2010-11 school year to plan the program, according to district records.

The performance pay amounts must be 5 percent more of the average annual salary, according to grant requirements, and plans must be constructed in a way that allows some teachers and/or principals to earn up to three times the average award.

The four schools are feeders for the district's lowest-performing high schools. They're also in the pilot for Pinellas' proposed new teacher evaluation system. The principals at all four signed letters of support.