NCTQ’s Strategic Teacher Compensation Databurst, a study of states’ strategic teacher compensation policies, includes a snapshot of all 50 states’ and the District of Columbia’s teacher compensation policies as they relate to providing additional compensation for effective teacher performance, teaching in high-need schools and subjects, and relevant, prior non-teaching work experience.
In addition to comprehensive data on each state’s efforts to address teacher salaries, this resource includes regional best practices to guide states in similar local contexts. It also provides concrete recommendations for states to improve their efforts.
Compensating teachers strategically requires all states to take a holistic approach to teacher compensation. Such an approach should ensure districts consider additional compensation for effective performance; teaching in high-need schools and subjects; and relevant, prior, non- teaching work experience.
As a preliminary action, states should:
- Provide districts with the flexibility to set pay structures and scales, while preserving the right to establish an adequate minimum salary.
States should then:
- Set parameters regarding district considerations for developing compensation systems, including considerations related to teacher effectiveness, teaching in high-need schools and shortage subject areas, and relevant, prior, non-teaching work experience; and
- Work with districts to identify funding, either at the state or district level, and support successful implementation of such policies so that their impact can be fully realized.
Even in a resource-constrained environment, every state has the opportunity to be strategic about how compensation resources are allocated.
For more, see:
https://www.nctq.org/dmsView/Strategic_Compensation_Databurst
