Thanks for being here today.

When we arranged, nearly a year ago, to speak here on the subject of Teacher Pay Reform,

we had no idea that the timing would be so urgent or the opportunity so large. School

boards typically operate within a certain defined range of influence, and it’s tough to

change things in a really fundamental way. This year is different.

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[Jeff]

Moments like this don’t come every day, year or decade. Moments like this don’t come every day, year or decade.

Teacher pay is changing in America.

You ran for school board to make change happen.

YOU are the person to bring this change to your district.

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The research is in. Teachers matter more than anything else in a child’s education. Good

learning outcomes come first and foremost from effective teaching. learning outcomes come first and foremost from effective teaching.

As a school board leader focused on making better life outcomes for kids, your challenge,

and your opportunity, is how to maximize the effectiveness of your teachers.

This means a different mindset than business as usual. If the effectiveness of teachers

really matters, what will you do differently to bring out the best in every teacher?

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How many of you feel that teachers are primarily motivated by money?

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Changing pay is not a magic answer.

Anybody who claims otherwise isn’t paying attention. Anybody who claims otherwise isn’t paying attention.

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Still… money matters to people. If you change pay, you WILL have their attention. What

you do with that is very much a question of leadership. you do with that is very much a question of leadership.

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BIG STATES, SMALL STATES

NORTHERN STATES, SOUTHERN STATES

URBAN DISTRICTS, RURAL DISTRICTS

FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA

NEW YORK, MARYLAND, PENNSYLVANIA, OHIO, INDIANA, ILLINOIS, MINNESOTA, NORTH

CAROLINA, SOUTH CAROLINA, LOUISIANA, ARKANSAS, TEXAS, COLORADO, ARIZONA

AND EVEN CALIFORNIA!

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In the literature about differentiation of compensation in schools, these are the four

“elements” that are usually described. “elements” that are usually described.

I’m going to use a few slides to shine light on each of these areas. Where I can, I intend to

frame this part of my presentation in terms of questions.

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�District level program begun in 2004

�Cooperative effort of Denver Public Schools and Denver Classroom Teachers Association

�Designed to link teacher pay to district mission and attract/retain high quality teachers in

DPS

�Teachers paid on the basis of : 1) knowledge and skills; 2) teaching in hard-to-staff school

and subjects; 3) good evaluations; 4) improved student scores on Colorado’s standardized

test

�Depending on option, payments range from $400/year-$2,500/year

�All ProComp payments pensionable

�Teachers hired after 1/06 must be in ProComp

�Program funded by voter-approved local property tax

�Money set aside in trust jointly administered by district and union

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�District level program begun in 2007

�Cooperative agreement between the NYC DOE and the United Federation of Teachers

�Participating schools must be designated “high need” and have approval of 55% of school

faculty

�$3,000 per teacher group performance awards to schools that show growth on NY’s

standardized test

�Money distributed by school-based Compensation Committee: 2 teachers, the principal,

1 principal designee

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�Nationwide program funded by participating districts

�Launched in 1999 by Milken Foundation; now part of National Institute for Excellence in

Education

�Organized around 4 elements:

1. Multiple career paths (career teacher, master and mentor teachers)

2. Ongoing professional growth

3. Accountability through evaluation

4. Performance-based compensation

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�District level program funded by parcel tax (2008)

�Cooperative effort of the SFUSD and the UESF

�Program will: 1) raise beginning teachers’ salaries to nearly $50,000 per year; 2) raise all

teachers salaries by $4,000-$6,000; 3) provide teachers in hard-to-staff schools ($2,000)

and subjects ($1,000); 4)give one-time bonus of $2,500 and $3,000 after 4th and 8th years

to stem attrition; 5) add 50 master teachers for $2,500 a year; 6) increase the number of

PAR coaches; 7) give 20 schools that make the most progress a block grant of $30,000

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Race To The Top

�Teacher quality and teacher distribution are key issues

�State grants

�MOUs with participating districts

�Teacher Incentive Fund

�Federally funded program begun in 2006

�Funded at $99m annually through 2009

�In 2010 budget, could be funded as high as $446m

�Competitive grant process for states and districts

�Program goals: 1) improve student achievement by improving principal and teacher

effectiveness, and 2) increase the number of effective teachers in hard-to-staff schools

�RFP to be released soon

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[Jeff]

Moments like this don’t come every day, year or decade. Moments like this don’t come every day, year or decade.

Teacher pay is changing in America.

You ran for school board to make change happen.

YOU are the person to bring this change to your district.

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Mostly, those who have taken the plunge say the water’s fine.

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