Dive Brief:
- Debate is brewing over the benefits of advanced degrees in education as an increasing number of districts eliminate extra pay for masters and PhDs.
- Those who don't believe in rewarding advanced degrees say the extra schooling doesn't necessarily mean higher test scores and that schools should instead use the money to reward those who are deemed effective, regardless of their education level.
- Proponents of the bonus for advanced degrees say schools of education give important knowledge and are, in fact, valuable for teachers.
Dive Insight:
Houston and Dallas — Texas's two biggest school districts — have gotten rid of extra pay for advanced degrees. North Carolina attempted to phase it out, as well, but the backlash was too strong and the state is now reconsidering.
But the bigger question to focus on in this debate, is not whether the degree is valuable but how districts are determining if a degree is valuable or not. While it makes sense to award those who are effective, clearly defining what that means is key. "We've built these salary structures based on years of experience and advanced degrees and both turned out to be not very good indicators of teachers' performance," Sandi Jacobs, vice president of the National Council on Teacher Quality, told the Associated Press. Jacobs and many in her camp believe effectiveness is solely based on test scores.
Texas Superintendent Mark Henry pushes against the effectiveness argument as he explains why he is not following the same path as Dallas and Houston, "I think what we tell children all the time, and what we tell each other, is to be lifelong learners."