Dive Brief:
- Researchers from the Economic Policy Institute have updated their work on teacher pay gaps, finding the nation’s K-12 educators to be at an even greater disadvantage than they were 20 years ago.
- In its latest report, the EPI writes the relative wage gap has grown substantially, even when adjusted for education levels, experience and other factors. Teachers earned 1.8% less than comparable workers in 1994, compared to 17% less in 2015.
- In 1960, female teachers earned almost 15% more than comparable workers, while in 2015 it was about 14% less — and the negative gap has always been worse for male teachers, at 22% in 1979 and 24.5% in 2015.
Dive Insight:
The report also finds that experienced teachers have gone from seeing a 1.9% wage premium, compared to other similarly situated professionals, to a 17.8% penalty. Teachers who belong to unions see smaller wage gaps, but teacher unions have been under attack for years and the growth of charter schools has largely created a new group of teachers who do not have the option to unionize.
The pay gap likely contributes to the dwindling supply of teachers in the pipeline, both male and female. Fewer students are choosing to major in education, and as older teachers retire, the high-turnover younger crowd is adding a level of instability in schools. Many districts, too, are looking for more male leaders to provide positive role models for the boys in their charge. Some have improved retention by creating inclusive decision-making environments.