This article, written in December 2016 following the election in May 2016 of a majority Conservative government, and the election to the leadership of the Labour Party of Jeremy Corbyn, a left-wing social democrat, "Old Labour style socialist", revises and updates substantially a previous article of June 2015 published in this journal…

This paper provides a review of recent policy initiatives to reform teacher compensation systems and evidence regarding the effect of these policies. The first section examines the current structure of teacher compensation in the U.S. K-12 public education system. The compensation "system" for teachers is fragmented and uncoordinated. Teacher…

During the 1920's merit pay became the most preferred system of teacher compensation; however, today fewer than 4 percent of the school systems in the United States use merit pay plans. The National Education Association suggests that merit pay is a "bogus issue" obscuring more significant areas of education needing reform, and the…

The importance of education for prosperity is beyond dispute. A nation or a state whose people are educated and industrious will prosper. Such social forces as the rise of private schooling, disenchantment with public education, and the aging of the population drain public education of its support. If educational quality has a cost, the…

In this paper we examine the research literature on teacher performance pay. Evidence clearly suggests an upsurge of interest in many states and school districts; however, expanded use of performance pay has been controversial. We briefly review the history of teacher pay policy in the U.S. and earlier cycles of interest in merit or…

Changes that should be considered in the Indiana public school system involve: (1) longer school year; (2) commitment to student and parent freedom of choice; (3) teachers' salaries; (4) tougher graduation requirements; (5) teacher/administrator workload; (6) functional literacy test; (7) concern for non-public education students and teachers; (8)…

Unionization as a significant issue on campuses is discussed. Four variables are seen as contributing to the rapid rise of unionism on campuses: economic, structural, legal, and the events of the 1960s. Topics discussed include faculty salaries, governance, tenure, faculty/administrator relationship, public and private institutions and unions, and…

This commentary assesses the quality of information in the National Center for Education Statistics report "The Condition of Education 1997," which bears on the extent to which the nation is succeeding in staffing all schools with skilled teachers. The commentary focuses on teacher salaries, teacher preparation for diversity, and…

Reviews research on the cost of public schools, quality of schooling, public opinion on school quality, comparison with private schools, and prospects for reform. (SK)

The National Education Association's communications staff selected and summarized the 10 most important educational news stories of 1981-82. Topics include: (1) the effects of federal, state, and local budget cuts; (2) reduction in forces; (3) microcomputers; (4) tuition tax credits; (5) school integration; (6) the Department of Education's…

Data about U.S. higher education provided by the Office of Education and other public and private educational organizations is presented in tables with accompanying texts. Included are information on: (1) the total number of institutions, including a report of a three percent increase between Fall 1974 and Fall 1978; (2) enrollment statistics…