Amid continued talks of teacher shortages, the conversation about disparities in teacher pay remains a critical aspect for both current and prospective teacher candidates. While most people express a value for the teaching profession and its critical role in shaping the future of our country, in most states teachers still remain underpaid and feeling devalued.
Disparity by the Numbers
On the surface, some people may see current pay scales in school districts and assume the uptick in those numbers are a larger indicator that teachers are being paid more competitively than they were in years past. However, when considering inflation, the National Education Association (NEA) reported that teachers are making about 5% less than they did 10 years ago. This disparity in pay leaves many educators working second jobs, side hustles, or monetizing their craft through websites like Teachers Pay Teachers, in order to keep up with the cost of living in their areas.
This failure to compensate teachers adequately is even more egregious when comparing teacher pay to other professionals with similar levels of education. In their 2023 report, the Economic Policy Institute concluded that, on average, teachers made 24.6% less than other similarly educated professionals, the lowest level since the 1960s.
Although most teachers will be the first to say they did not go into the profession for the competitive pay, more efforts must be made to safeguard the profession, if America hopes to keep the profession viable. With varying wages from state to state and district to district, depending on various demographics like cost of living, the average for most teachers is still around $69,544, in the state of Texas, the average was closer to $60,716 in 2023, according to the NEA.
- Source: NEA Rankings & Estimates, April 2024
Why it Matters
Despite people’s professed belief that teaching the next generation is one of the most noble and valued professions in society, one can not overlook the obvious contradictions of states not putting their money where they say their values are. Many people point to the fact that 77% of the teaching workforce is composed of women, where budgetary decisions in education are at the mercy of policymakers in legislative bodies that are overwhelmingly male-dominated.
However, many of these policymakers have never spent time working in schools and may be unable to connect the dots they see with problems in the educational system from teacher recruitment and retention, to student outcomes, and overall systemic failures to their inability to pay teachers what they are worth. But this isn’t missed on teachers who are doing the arduous work in the field. In their 2023 State of the American Teacher Survey centered on teacher’s perceptions, RAND found that teachers feel overworked. More specifically, “During the 2022–2023 school year, teachers worked more hours per week, on average, than working adults — 53 hours compared with 46.” In addition to being overworked, they felt underpaid, as only 34% of them felt their pay was adequate.
Addressing the Problem
Now is the time for states to course correct and start to make legislative changes that include paying teachers competitively. Some states have started to take steps in this direction. One example is the state of Texas where House Bill 3 established a plan that sets to reward teachers with higher pay, but is it enough?
Teacher Incentive Allotment As a Fix for Texas
The State of Texas adopted the Teacher Incentive Allotment that was, “Established with the goal of providing outstanding teachers an accessible pathway to a six-figure salary.” Ideally it would allow the state to reward, recruit, and retain teachers, based on their performance. While there are way too many nuts and bolts of the program to be discussed here, the state of Texas breaks it all down in an informational video on the Texas Education Agency’s website. In the end, teachers in participating districts, that are designated recognized, exemplary, or masters, qualify to receive a payout by the state that is a boost to their overall pay for the school year.
WFAA reported one local school district, Grand Prairie ISD, received $2.2 million and allocated 203 teachers $11,000 in 2024. The district expressed its excitement by saying, “The Teacher Incentive Allotment allows us to recruit, recognize, and retain the best teachers!” They anticipate that participating teachers will make more than $85,000 this school year.
Across the metroplex, a former instructional leader in Lancaster ISD reported receiving over $16,000 in August for her allotment, and acknowledged it could have gone as high as $32,000 depending on the socioeconomics of the area the school is located. In her opinion, this program is what many driven teachers need to feel motivated to push themselves and to feel appreciated for all the hard work they do.
Potential Problems with TIA
While teachers in participating districts seem to be excited about opportunities to earn more money, not all districts are included in the program. The funding map below shows participating districts in Texas. For this reason, many teachers are still very vocal about the idea of full-scale teacher raises for all teachers across the state.
Median # of Hours Spent on Tasks
Source: https://tiatexas.org/funding-map
For those looking for further information concerning how much participating districts and campuses are paying their teachers, you can select the region, district, then campus on the interactive map to see exact allotment amounts. For example, when looking at Region 10 – Frisco Independent School District – Panther Creek High School, the following image details the allotment provided by teacher distinction.
Source: https://tiatexas.org/funding-map
Another potential shortcoming with TIA implementation is the source of its funding. According to one assistant superintendent in a local school district, TIA is a lot of work and a lot of extra bureaucracy that he’s not a fan of, but it does give teachers a legitimate chance of a considerable salary boost. His main worry is one that educational leaders have when the state rolls out programs, “What happens when the money runs out?”
In response to this concern, a representative from the Texas Educational Agency explained that TIA funding was built into Texas state law as part of House Bill 3 during the 86th Texas Legislature. Because it is a Tier 1 allotment through the Foundation School Program (FSP), the system through which the state provides funding to districts. This system, grounded in the Texas Education Code, creates a sustainable funding source for districts implementing TIA. Unlike previous state incentive programs, there is no cap on TIA allotment funds or the number of teachers who may earn a designation.
A Step in a Positive Direction
While there are still valid concerns about the fact that legislators can, and have, changed funding amounts each year, TIA may be the strongest step we’ve seen in a while towards allowing teachers a pathway to really earn competitive salaries. There are certainly tweaks that the state and districts can make to improve the program and its considerations, but in a time when inflation and demand are causing teachers to experience burnout like never before, it appears that programs like TIA may be a great model for states looking to solve one of the biggest problems impacting the viability of the educational profession. If teachers are as valuable as we say they are, it’s time to show them the money.
The post Paying Teachers: It’s Time to Put Our Money Where Our Mouths Are appeared first on Dallas Weekly.