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
Teacher Pay, Explained: Salary, Benefits, and Pensions
Learn how teachers are compensated, and the role that states and districts play in setting pay.
Recruitment & Retention
Opinion
In Teachers We Trust - But How Much?
Guest blogger Ellen Behrstock-Sherratt talks about the need to support our teachers.
Teaching Profession
Opinion
Prime Time Public School Teachers
The new documentary "Teach" premiered during prime time on CBS. It follows four ordinary teachers who do extraordinary work teaching in the public schools.
Teaching Profession
N.C. Gov. 'Finds' Money for Teacher Advanced-Degree Pay
North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory intends to budget $10 million for a pay bump for teachers currently enrolled in graduate degrees.
Professional Development
Seattle Teachers Head Off Strike With New Contract
With a show of hands last night, Seattle teachers voted to approve a new two-year contract, ending the possibility of a strike and ensuring that students returned to school on time today.
Teaching Profession
Opinion
Compensation Trends Offer Lessons for School Districts
Several leading business consulting firms, including WorldatWork, Mercer, the Hay Group, and The Conference Board, are predicting an average increase of more than 3 percent in base pay for U.S. workers this year.
Education Funding
Opinion
America's Most Deceptive Governor
North Carolina may have the most deceptive governor in America. He says one thing, but his actions are much different.The public schools are suffering major setbacks under his leadership.
School Choice & Charters
South Korean 'Teacher' Makes $4 Million
In a recent Wall Street Journal piece, Amanda Ripley writes about a "rock star" teacher in South Korea who makes $4 million a year.
Teaching Profession
Opinion
Getting Arrested for 95,000 Teachers
In an act of civil disobedience, Rodney Ellis, President of the North Carolina Association of Educators was arrested for refusing to leave the legislative building after closing hours. He was protesting the way legislators were passing bills that did harm to teachers and their profession.
Teaching Profession
School of Hard Knocks for Chicago Teachers
It's a hard time to be a teacher in Chicago. Ten days ago, to the surprise of its employees, the Chicago public school district laid off more than 1,000 teachers and about 1,100 support staff members.
Teaching Profession
Opinion
The Most Backward Legislature in America
The North Carolina legislature has turned back the clock on the state's reputation for having an innovative and progressive education system. Program after program has been defunded or dismantled.
Teaching Profession
Opinion
Creating a Career Ladder for Teachers
Brooke Peters
Marsha Ratzel brought up an important point: Teachers need job descriptions that accurately reflect what we are expected to do. I would also add that we need room to grow within our teaching roles and we should be compensated for the additional projects or responsibilities we take on. In order to create differentiation in responsibilities and compensation, some schools, like Denver Green School, have created career-ladder systems for teachers that enable them to remain in the classroom while also exploring projects of interest or responsibilities based on their prior experience.
Marsha Ratzel brought up an important point: Teachers need job descriptions that accurately reflect what we are expected to do. I would also add that we need room to grow within our teaching roles and we should be compensated for the additional projects or responsibilities we take on. In order to create differentiation in responsibilities and compensation, some schools, like Denver Green School, have created career-ladder systems for teachers that enable them to remain in the classroom while also exploring projects of interest or responsibilities based on their prior experience.
Teaching Profession
Opinion
Teacher Benefits Should Be Fair, Not Necessarily Equal
Ryan Prosser
Growing up, my identical twin, John, and I shared everything. Even if we only had one M & M left, we'd bite it in half to be equal. Although I was never asked to do so, I like to think I would have done the same for my other brothers, too.
Growing up, my identical twin, John, and I shared everything. Even if we only had one M & M left, we'd bite it in half to be equal. Although I was never asked to do so, I like to think I would have done the same for my other brothers, too.
Teaching Profession
Opinion
Brewing Up a Plan for Better Teacher Compensation
Megan M. Allen
As I process last week's posts and comments, I get a little adrenaline-filled. Why? Because what's brewing is an outline of how to move forward with teacher compensation. I embrace the fact that I'm a little bit of a Pollyanna, but I see some actionable steps cooking. Here's what I'm thinking:
As I process last week's posts and comments, I get a little adrenaline-filled. Why? Because what's brewing is an outline of how to move forward with teacher compensation. I embrace the fact that I'm a little bit of a Pollyanna, but I see some actionable steps cooking. Here's what I'm thinking:
Teaching Profession
Opinion
Detroit: A Teachable Moment on Teacher Compensation
Matthew Holland
There have been many ideas floated around about how best to compensate teachers for their work. Some ideas link teacher pay to student performance, some rely on a step scale connected directly to teacher tenure, other ideas are a mixture of both proposals. Regardless of what compensation method you propose, however, the reality is that there must be funding to support such compensation. In today's economy, that funding is shrinking, and cities and towns can no longer hand out the benefits they once promised government employees.
There have been many ideas floated around about how best to compensate teachers for their work. Some ideas link teacher pay to student performance, some rely on a step scale connected directly to teacher tenure, other ideas are a mixture of both proposals. Regardless of what compensation method you propose, however, the reality is that there must be funding to support such compensation. In today's economy, that funding is shrinking, and cities and towns can no longer hand out the benefits they once promised government employees.