Salaries & Benefits

Education news, analysis, and opinion about pay and benefits for school and district employees

See also: Performance Pay, Retirement & Pensions, Unions, Teaching Profession

Explainer

Illustration concept of chalkboard with a money symbol drawn and in the background are a people that represent teachers and administrators.
Teacher Pay, Explained: Salary, Benefits, and Pensions
Learn how teachers are compensated, and the role that states and districts play in setting pay.
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Teaching Profession Managing Teacher Attendance: Tips for Education Leaders
A short guide can help you think through the complexities of teacher absenteeism.
Sarah D. Sparks, October 29, 2026
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1 min read
An elementary classroom is stocked with school supplies at BASIS Flagstaff on Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026, in Flagstaff, Arizona.
An elementary classroom at a public charter school on Aug. 6, 2026, in Flagstaff, Ariz. New data from the U.S. Department of Education finds that teacher absenteeism has risen.
Cheyanne Mumphrey/AP
Teaching Profession The Data on Teacher Absenteeism Can Be Misleading. Here's What to Know
Partly due to leave policies, a third of teachers miss 10+ days of school per year. Can districts curb the absences?
Sarah D. Sparks, October 28, 2026
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6 min read
Image of a stethoscope and receipts
Collage by Laura Baker/Education Week + Getty
Budget & Finance Schools Wrestle With Exploding Health Costs: 'Medical Inflation Is Crushing Us'
School districts face a dilemma as healthcare costs surge, but they're getting creative.
Mark Lieberman, October 26, 2026
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6 min read
The definition of teacher sits on teacher Leon Smith's desk at Haverford High School, in Haverford, PA on March 20, 2024.
A definition of the word teacher sits on Leon Smith's desk at Haverford High School, in Haverford, PA on March 20, 2024. New data suggest a long-term trend of higher vacancies and more underprepared teachers.
Alejandro A Alvarez/The Philadelphia Inquirer via TNS
Teaching Profession Q&A What Teacher Shortages Really Say About the Profession
In the new book, Ending Teacher Shortages, researcher Tuan Nguyen highlights need to move from magic bullets to a more stable workforce.
Sarah D. Sparks, October 8, 2026
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4 min read
A classroom in Geneva Elementary School in Geneva County Schools, Geneva, Alabama on August04, 2026
A classroom in Geneva Elementary School in Geneva, Ala., is pictured in August 2026. Alabama still offers pay incentives for teachers in shortage areas, but many states do not, a new report finds.
Trisha Crain/Al.com via TNS
Teaching Profession What the Research Says States Roll Back Pay Incentives for Teachers in High-Need Areas
A new national study finds less differentiated pay for science fields, high-risk student groups.
Sarah D. Sparks, September 29, 2026
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3 min read
Collage-style illustration of a teacher reading to young children, with clippings of line 11 from form 1040 around the image. Pieces of paper money also surround them and off to the far left there is a clipping from the instructions for form 1040 from the IRS, with the heading "Educator Expenses" visible.
Illustration by Emily Wright for Education Week + Getty
Early Childhood A Tax Break for Early Childhood Educators: Why This Policy Change Matters
A new law expands the federal educator expense deduction to include early childhood educators.
Elizabeth Heubeck, September 23, 2026
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4 min read
Teachers do PD work on increasing bars of money
Vanessa Solis/Education Week + Getty
Professional Development What Sort of PD Should Give Teachers a Salary Bump? Some States Are Reevaluating
Teachers usually get pay increases for advanced degrees, but quality controls vary widely.
Sarah D. Sparks, September 17, 2026
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4 min read
Collage-style illustration of a mother holding a young baby with her hand held up to her forehead. Pieces of paper and hand-written schedules surround her and scribbles are in the background behind her head.
Illustration by Emily Wright for Education Week + Getty
Teaching Profession How Schools Can Help Support Postpartum Teachers
In an industry that provides little to no paid leave for parents, maternal mental health is a real concern.
Jennifer Vilcarino, September 16, 2026
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5 min read
NEAConvention 7.6.2026 MarkMakela6
Ric Calhoun, the National Education Association's Education Support Professional of the year, is calling for a "ESP Bill of Rights." He addresses the union's Representative Assembly at the NEA Convention in Denver, on July 6, 2026.
Mark Makela for Education Week
Teaching Profession The Push for a Paraprofessional 'Bill of Rights' Is On in 18 States
A drive is on in those states to improve pay and working conditions for paraprofessionals and other staff.
Sarah D. Sparks, July 10, 2026
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3 min read
People stand at the counter of a pharmacy in the Queens borough of New York City, on Nov. 18, 2025. President Trump has made certain drug prices drop and has made deals with pharmaceutical companies to continue to keep prices down.
People stand at the counter of a pharmacy in the Queens borough of New York City, on Nov. 18, 2025. School district leaders in a new survey identified rising prescription drug costs as one leading cause for rising health insurance premiums that are straining district budgets.
Anthony Behar/Sipa via AP
Budget & Finance Rising Healthcare Costs Force School District Budget Tradeoffs
The growing cost of such a large expense in school district budgets requires tradeoffs, a new survey shows.
Caitlynn Peetz Stephens, June 26, 2026
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4 min read
Teachers follow each other in a circle during a workshop helping teachers find a balance in their curriculum while coping with stress and burnout in the classroom, on Aug. 2, 2022, in Concord, N.H. School districts around the country are starting to invest in programs aimed at address the mental health of teachers. Faced with a shortage of educators and widespread discontentment with the job, districts are hiring more therapist, holding trainings on self-care and setting up system to better respond to a teacher encountering anxiety and stress.
Teachers follow each other in a circle during a workshop helping teachers cope with stress and burnout in the classroom, on Aug. 2, 2022, in Concord, N.H. New data show that teachers continue to face high levels of stress, but many plan to stay in the profession long term.
Charles Krupa/AP
Teaching Profession More Teachers Name Classroom Management as a Job Stress Than Low Pay
A national survey highlights ongoing work and home pressures on educators.
Sarah D. Sparks, June 10, 2026
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3 min read
Image of a teacher's desk with the words "Pay Day" ghosted on the background.
Collage by Laura Baker/Education Week with Canva
Teaching Profession Increases in Teacher Pay Offset by Inflation, Union Analysis Shows
The inflation-adjusted increase was less than 1 percent, the National Education Association says.
Jennifer Vilcarino, April 30, 2026
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2 min read
Teacher Time
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Teaching Profession Should Teachers Get Overtime Pay? EdWeek Readers Have Some Thoughts
Readers give their opinions on whether teachers should qualify for overtime pay.
Edér Del Prado, April 15, 2026
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1 min read
Conceptual art collage. Yellow apple, as gold, on white plate with money symbol engraved, against purple background. Textured effect. Concept of food pricing and consumer economy.
Anton Vierietin/iStock
Teaching Profession How Far Can You Stretch a Starting Teacher Salary? We Crunched the Numbers
Efforts to boost starting teacher salaries to $60,000 are underway. It may not be enough.
Elizabeth Heubeck, April 13, 2026
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2 min read