This article talks about the Australian Government "Summer School for Teachers" programme which was announced as part of the 2007-08 Budget Package: "Realising Our Potential." Funds earmarked for this initiative totalled some $102 million over four years, and it was sold to the Australian public as something that would both recognise and reward up to 4,000 of Australia's highest performing teachers in the areas of: (1) Literacy and Numeracy; (2) English; (3) Mathematics; (4) Science; and (5) Australian History. The author describes the challenges that the Australian Association for the Teaching of English (AATE) President put to the Summer School for English teachers. While the Australian Government's Summer School initiative represents an important contribution to the professional development of Australian teachers, it is benefiting a very small minority of the profession, and one could argue that because of the "merit" selection processes, this cohort represents the "least needy".