Public school teacher compensation has taken shots from every direction based on its lock-step grid structure. Generally, all teachers in a district who have worked ten years and have 30 post-secondary credits receive the same salary.
Jefferson County School District in Colorado, the largest district in the state, is piloting a completely different compensation program funded by a $32.8 million federal Teacher Incentive Fund (TIF) grant.
The grant provides money for a 20-school pilot project at elementary and middle schools with at least 50% of students on free or reduced price lunch. Ten schools will pilot the new compensation plan; ten “control” schools will receive an across-the-board one percent pay increase and all the additional professional development services of the grant. Teachers in the control group will continue to be paid for “steps and levels” negotiated in the District’s teacher contract.
The new strategic compensation plan is the result of collaboration by Jefferson County Education Association (JCEA), the teacher’s bargaining unit, district administration, and the school board. It divides compensation into three tiers: new teachers, experienced classroom teachers, and teacher leaders. The pay structure looks like this:
Tier 1: $40,000-$50,000
Tier 2: $55,000-$75,000
Tier 3: $80,000-$100,000
In Jeffco’s “steps and levels” structure, beginning salary is $33,000, and salaries top out at about $85,000.
How does the compensation plan work?
New teachers will start at $40,000 and will have a minimum of three years, and up to five years, to move out of the first tier. During that time, they will establish annual individual, team, and school goals. They will receive additional compensation, up to a total of $10,000, for goals met. Goals include student achievement and growth using the Colorado Department of Education growth model. Theoretically, new teachers can earn up to $50,000 their first year out.
Tier 2 teachers represent the experienced teacher corps. These teachers will also establish individual, team, and school goals. They will receive pay based on goal achievement levels, with up to $20,000 on the table.
Tier 3 teachers will serve as teacher leaders. This level continues the career pathway set by Tiers 1 and 2, focusing on additional value that leaders bring. These teachers may work longer days or more days during the school year. They will mentor, provide data analysis skill, do model teaching, and/or perform peer performance evaluation. With an entry salary of $80,000, these teachers can earn up to an additional $20,000. Ideally, this tier will offer teachers a chance to try out leadership roles that can prepare them for administration leadership positions.
Additional professional development
Compensation change isn’t the only purpose of the TIF grant. The district will create professional development programs for both pilot and control schools. Schools will also receive an additional half-time vice principal to help manage the grant.
Overall the grant, distributed over five years, encourages creativity and innovation to ensure that children in low-income areas receive the support and powerful teaching necessary for their success.
Program received with mixed results
The JCEA is now meeting with the 25 elementary and middle schools that meet the free and reduced lunch criteria. High schools are currently excluded from the study because of their size. Issues have arisen around teachers at the top end of the current salary structure. Some salary adjusting in Tier 2 will have to occur to accommodate the transition. Some teachers are eager for the opportunity; others see risks and are “wait and see.”
Teachers’ union key to developing the plan
The Jefferson County Education Association was a critical player in developing the plan. The union wants to take a lead role in figuring out how their professional compensation will look in the 21st century. Kerrie Dallman, president of JCEA, said, “I am excited about this grant because it gives Jeffco teachers the opportunity to shape our profession now and in the future. We know change is coming, and we want to help plan that change.”
Answering important core “reform” questions
Does teacher compensation affect teacher performance? Does more focused professional development make the most difference for kids? A related question is whether such a plan will attract a broader array of college students into the teaching profession if they can increase their income faster than in the current system. JCEA wants to know if having a career path giving teachers more leadership opportunities will make a critical difference.
The five-year time frame may not be long enough to adequately test these premises, but much is at stake in the Jeffco study: new ways of thinking about compensation, professional development, career opportunities, new teacher training, and especially union-management collaboration.