Decades of research suggest that teacher quality accounts for more variation in student performance than almost any other characteristic of a school. Yet across the country, states and districts are strug¬gling to attract, support, and retain high-quality teachers. The limitations of the traditional salary schedule in attracting and keeping good teachers have prompted policymakers to search for alternative ways of compensating teachers. Experimentation has been limited in the public schools and models to help district schools depart from structures solely based on degrees and experience are still emerging.
Charter and private schools, on the other hand, have greater latitude in their compensation practices. While they are a small sector of schools, pay policies in these institutions may provide some useful lessons to inform future efforts in traditional public schools to reform the way teachers are paid.
There are many open questions about how to use teacher compen¬sation most effectively to draw and keep high-quality teachers. Join us for a discussion as educators consider a new paper by Public Impact authors that provides a snapshot of compensation practices in several charter and private schools and an analysis of potential lessons for traditional public schools.
Featured Participants:
Bryan C. Hassel, Co-Director of Public Impact
Julie Kowal, Consultant Public Impact
Emily Lawson, Founder and Executive Director of D.C. Preparatory Academy
Nancy Van Meter, Deputy Director, American Federation of Teachers
Moderator:
Cynthia G. Brown, Director of Education Policy, Center for American Progress