THE BIG SACRIFICES AND SMALL SALARIES OF AMERICA'S TEACHERS
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This book provides a punchy, thoughtful look at the issues surrounding teacher salaries in the public school system. And while it is openly biased on the subject - the authors see salary reform as the best way to ameliorate many of the problems facing America's public schools - this bias never compromises its even-handed consideration of the current debate. In part, this is because the authors wisely ground the book in the words and experiences of teachers themselves. the stories of high ideals and hard work compromised by the brutal conditions facing teachers speak for themselves, allowing the authors to make their points by interspersing short passages that highlight the key issues raised by the vignettes. Whether or not one agrees with their solutions, their characterization of the problem is spot-on.
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TACKLING THE CHALLENGE OF RAISING TEACHER PAY, STATE BY STATE
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During former Secretary of Education Arne Duncan's time in office, his department asked states to propose solutions to inequity in a State Plan to Ensure Equitable Access to Excellent Educators (otherwise known as an equity plan). The Teacher Salary Project paid close attention. Knowing how critical capable and stable teachers are, TSP followed which approaches states are suggesting to address one essential component of their teacher recruitment and retention policy: teacher pay.
In this brief, The Teacher Salary Project found that although most states identify compensation as a key factor, few offer specific strategies to address the issue. The goal of this brief is to draw attention to a theme in the states' assessments: low teacher pay hampers their ability tot attract and retain teachers. |