Better Pay Better Pay for Better Teachingfor Better Teaching

Bryan C. HasselBryan C. Hassel

Progressive Policy InstituteProgressive Policy Institute

May 29, 2002May 29, 2002

Improving Teaching QualityImproving Teaching Quality

Entice more high-potential teachersEntice more high-potential teachers Convince effective teachers to stayConvince effective teachers to stay Encourage great teachers to take Encourage great teachers to take

tough assignmentstough assignments Enhance teachers' capacityEnhance teachers' capacity Increase use of effective practicesIncrease use of effective practices Induce ineffective teachers to leave Induce ineffective teachers to leave

Key Elements of New ApproachKey Elements of New Approach

Change the way we prepare, recruit, Change the way we prepare, recruit, select, support, and evaluateselect, support, and evaluate

Increase pay overallIncrease pay overall

Change the way we payChange the way we pay

New One-Size-Fits-All System?New One-Size-Fits-All System?

NO:NO:

We know little about "what works"We know little about "what works"

Schools differ:Schools differ:

no one best way to payno one best way to pay

Principles of Policy DesignPrinciples of Policy Design

Experimentation the Experimentation the rulerule, not the , not the exceptionexception

Flexibility at the school-levelFlexibility at the school-level

Hold harmless: no reductions in payHold harmless: no reductions in pay

Principles of Policy Design, cont.Principles of Policy Design, cont.

Intense focus on resultsIntense focus on results

Alignment: don't change pay aloneAlignment: don't change pay alone

Rigorous documentation and Rigorous documentation and evaluationevaluation

Why Pay MattersWhy Pay Matters

Composition Composition effects: effects:

who teaches, who teaches,

who stayswho stays Behavior effects:Behavior effects:

how teachers how teachers teach and teach and developdevelop

The Current SystemThe Current System

Rewards experience and educationRewards experience and education

Arguments:Arguments:

• Good proxies for teaching qualityGood proxies for teaching quality• Fairness & simplicityFairness & simplicity

Good Proxies for Quality?Good Proxies for Quality?

Lots of great veteran, highly Lots of great veteran, highly educated teacherseducated teachers

Studies: little or no overall link to Studies: little or no overall link to student learningstudent learning

Even if linked, not the Even if linked, not the bestbest proxies proxies

Fairness?Fairness?

Yes, ignores irrelevant factorsYes, ignores irrelevant factors

But also ignores relevant factors:But also ignores relevant factors:

• Teacher knowledge and skillsTeacher knowledge and skills• Learning achieved by studentsLearning achieved by students• Difficulty of assignmentDifficulty of assignment

Status Quo and Teaching QualityStatus Quo and Teaching Quality

YesYes NoNo

Entice more great teachers Entice more great teachers

Convince effective teachers to stay Convince effective teachers to stay

Induce teachers to take tough jobsInduce teachers to take tough jobs

Enhance teachers' capacity Enhance teachers' capacity

Increase use of effective practices Increase use of effective practices

Encourage weak teachers to leave Encourage weak teachers to leave

Two Key Aspects of New PolicyTwo Key Aspects of New Policy

What factors drive pay What factors drive pay

Who sets payWho sets pay

What Factors Drive PayWhat Factors Drive Pay

Paying for knowledge and skillsPaying for knowledge and skills

Paying more for high-demand Paying more for high-demand specialtiesspecialties

Paying more for hard-to-staff schoolsPaying more for hard-to-staff schools

Paying for performance Paying for performance

Evaluating ProposalsEvaluating Proposals

Likely contribution to teaching Likely contribution to teaching quality:quality:• Composition effectsComposition effects• Behavior effectsBehavior effects

Standard: relative to status quo Standard: relative to status quo

Pay for Knowledge and SkillsPay for Knowledge and Skills

YesYes NoNo

Entice more great teachers Entice more great teachers

Convince effective teachers to stay Convince effective teachers to stay

Induce teachers to take tough jobsInduce teachers to take tough jobs

Enhance teachers' capacity Enhance teachers' capacity

Increase use of effective practices Increase use of effective practices

Encourage weak teachers to leave Encourage weak teachers to leave

Pay More for High-Demand Pay More for High-Demand SpecialtiesSpecialties

YesYes NoNo

Entice more great teachers Entice more great teachers

Convince effective teachers to stay Convince effective teachers to stay

Induce teachers to take tough jobsInduce teachers to take tough jobs

Enhance teachers' capacity Enhance teachers' capacity

Increase use of effective practices Increase use of effective practices

Encourage weak teachers to leave Encourage weak teachers to leave

Pay More for Hard-to-Staff SchoolsPay More for Hard-to-Staff Schools

YesYes NoNo

Entice more great teachers Entice more great teachers

Convince effective teachers to stay Convince effective teachers to stay

Induce teachers to take tough jobsInduce teachers to take tough jobs

Enhance teachers' capacity Enhance teachers' capacity

Increase use of effective practices Increase use of effective practices

Encourage weak teachers to leave Encourage weak teachers to leave

Paying for PerformancePaying for Performance

YesYes NoNo

Entice more great teachers Entice more great teachers

Convince effective teachers to stay Convince effective teachers to stay

Induce teachers to take tough jobsInduce teachers to take tough jobs

Enhance teachers' capacity Enhance teachers' capacity

Increase use of effective practices Increase use of effective practices

Encourage weak teachers to leave Encourage weak teachers to leave

Design Issues and OptionsDesign Issues and Options

What exactly to rewardWhat exactly to reward How to measureHow to measure Alignment with other strategiesAlignment with other strategies Supplement or replaceSupplement or replace How much to payHow much to pay How to fundHow to fund Transition Transition

Changing Who Sets PayChanging Who Sets Pay

Status quo: state and district scalesStatus quo: state and district scales

The challenge: The challenge: alignmentalignment

Solution: school-level pay-settingSolution: school-level pay-setting

"School leaders": not necessarily "School leaders": not necessarily principalsprincipals

(example: teacher ownership) (example: teacher ownership)

Complements to Flexible PayComplements to Flexible Pay

Hold school leaders accountableHold school leaders accountable

Grant HR and budget autonomy to Grant HR and budget autonomy to schoolsschools

Build leaders' capacity to set payBuild leaders' capacity to set pay

Foster external providers of teacher Foster external providers of teacher evaluation and pay approachesevaluation and pay approaches

Address equity issues Address equity issues

Some Middle GroundsSome Middle Grounds

Partial decentralizationPartial decentralization

School discretion, within parametersSchool discretion, within parameters

Phase-inPhase-in

The Future of Teacher PayThe Future of Teacher Pay

ExperimentationExperimentation

FlexibilityFlexibility

The bargain: The bargain:

Better Pay, Better Pay Better Pay, Better Pay SystemsSystems