The city and its teachers’ union have agreed to create a category of superteachers — to be paid as much as 30 percent extra for educating both students and other teachers.

Department of Education officials hailed the model — which rewards only teachers who boost student performance and agree to work in the lowest-performing schools — as a pay-for-performance reform akin to merit pay.

“This is a bold step by the city and by the [union],” Deputy Chancellor John White said.

UFT President Michael Mulgrew insisted the extra pay would not be a reward but rather a result of taking on more work.

“You first have to qualify and then accept — only if you choose to — additional responsibility,” he said.

The step is one of the supports for the city’s 34 lowest-performing schools, which will get massive makeovers that will shutter some for good and send teachers and principals packing at others.