A report released today by the Texas Public Policy Foundation states that "teacher incentive pay programs in Texas school districts have produced higher test scores, higher state accountability rankings, improved teacher morale, and less teacher turnover."

The report, “Paying for Results: Examining Incentive Pay in Texas,” states in its executive summary that most school districts across the country pay teachers with an outdated teacher salary schedule that rewards all teachers equally regardless of performance.

"This one-size-fits-all compensation structure limits the flexibility of school board members and superintendents to strategically target resources to meet local needs, attract talent in shortage areas, reward excellent teaching, and improve student achievement," the report further states.

Austin, Dallas and Lamesa school districts are currently implementing teacher incentive pay measures and have yielded highter test scores and accountability rankings and improved teacher morale.

Recommendations for state lawmakers:

-Eliminating the state minimum salary schedule, which rewards longevity over effectiveness in the classroom.
-Refusing to tie local school districts hands by giving all teachers in the state an across-the-board pay raise.
-Continuing to support and fund teacher incentive pay programs.
-Removing any roadblocks to reform at the state level • that hinder local school districts from having the flexibility to design a compensation system that meets their needs.
-Local school board members and school administrators should consider:
Eliminating their locally adopted salary schedule and replacing it with a base salary.
-Targeting resources where the money can be most effective such as:
Paying teachers a shortage stipend for teaching in a locally determined shortage areas; paying teachers a stipend for working in a low-performing school; rewarding large student gains in learning with a bonus; and linking pay raises and bonuses to positive performance reviews and improvement in the classroom.
-Discontinuing across-the-board pay raises which do not take into account individual teacher performance.
-Discontinuing the practice of paying teachers more for possession of a Master’s degree which has no affect on teacher effectiveness.

For the full report, click here.

Posted by Melissa Zamora |  8 Comments |