This new report from TNTP analyzes the impact of lockstep compensation systems, which pay teachers almost exclusively based on years of experience and academic credits, and proposes paying teachers for what really matters: how hard their jobs are and how well they do them.
The report shows that paying teachers without regard for their actual performance shortchanges great teachers-and costs schools and students dearly.
Consider the consequences of lockstep pay:
- Low early-career salaries keep talented people from even considering teaching.
- Great teachers feel pressure to leave the classroom, while less successful ones are encouraged to stay.
- The best teachers aren’t recognized for leading the classrooms where they’re needed most.
If we seriously believe in the value of great teaching, we have to not only pay teachers more but also pay them differently. This isn’t just hypothetical: More than 25 districts, states and charter networks are already revamping how they pay their teachers, and they offer a road map for building smarter compensation systems across the country.
For more information, please visit: http://tntp.org/publications/view/retention-and-school-culture/shortchanged-the-hidden-costs-of-lockstep-teacher-pay
