Dive Brief:
- A number of California districts have made changes to their pay scales to be more attractive to veteran teachers, who have traditionally been incentivized to stay put in districts that supported them through their early careers.
- EdSource reports Elk Grove Unified has raised the cap on years of service and San Jose Unified eliminated it entirely, promising to match the salaries of teachers transferring into their districts, no matter where it falls on their step and lane chart.
- The changes help teachers transfer to districts for good pay and potentially shorter commutes or better working conditions. But keeping their experience on the pay scale does not mean they keep their seniority in the case of layoffs, maintaining an element of risk in the moves.
Dive Insight:
Smaller, often rural districts around the country traditionally face competition from larger districts nearby that can pay teachers more. These districts end up being stepping stones for new teachers, which means high turnover in their staffs. When being competitive on salary isn't an option, districts have to create the working conditions that will attract teachers regardless of pay.
In Oregon, a number of districts have implemented shared leadership principles through the CLASS Project, giving teachers a greater role in decision-making. This has increased teacher retention rates and improved results on teacher satisfaction surveys. A recent study from the Center on Education Policy found close to half of teacher respondents said they did not feel heard at the school level, contributing to low morale.