Compensation reform represents the opportunity for teachers to have more control over how much money they make and over what period of time. Traditional systems compensate for longevity and education and provide little motivation for teachers to improve their craft, work together, take on challenging assignments, or assume leadership roles.
Redesigning compensation systems can help to encourage teaching practices and behaviors that can improve student learning and give teachers more opportunities to earn more money. Teachers should, however, insist on several things. Among the things that should be non-negotiable are:
1. Teachers should participate in the design of the compensation system.
2. All teachers should have opportunities to earn additional compensation, not just those in tested subject areas and grades.
3. Student learning should be measured in terms of learning gains. Teachers should be accountable for student learning relative to where the students started.