States should be doing more to make sure teachers are “meaningfully compensated” for exemplary teaching, according to a new policy brief by the National Council on Teacher Quality, a Washington-based think tank.
Typically, decisions about teacher pay are left up to individual school districts, the report found in an analysis of state policies. Most districts have a “step and lane” salary schedule—teachers earn a “step” increase in pay for each additional year of experience, and can earn a “lane” increase by having more education. Only a handful of states have a statewide salary schedule that establishes a minimum salary for teachers. Just nine states require districts to consider performance in their teacher compensation—and only three states require districts to consider new teachers’ relevant, nonteaching work experience when determining starting salaries.
