A radical new idea to get substantial amounts of money into the hands of Missouri teachers has been raised at the State Capitol. Imagine the alure of a $5,000, perhaps $10,000, maybe even a $15,000 stipend to teachers who meet performance goals. Representative Jane Cunningham of Chesterfield says pay is a top priority of the profession.She calls her proposal the Teacher Choice CompensationPackage. Teachers could either accept their local district pay plans or opt out in favor of one that offers substantial pay stipends to teachers meeting performance standards – and for teachers willing to give up tenure. Cunningham would pay for it by increasing the entrance fee to casinos by $2, estimated to raise $96-million, good enough to enroll 10,000 teachers.