Sabbatical leave has a long and distinguished history in academe, both at universities and community colleges. By virtue of its traditional benefit to professors, institutions, and students, sabbaticals may appropriately be considered as a "right" by the professoriate. Even so, during statewide budgetary crises, sabbatical leave was…

A review of some of the class-size research and a discussion of the views of administrators and teachers. (MLF)

This study reviewed the historical development of the teacher-compensation paradigm, discussed the current trends in alternative compensation policy strategies, and examined the teacher-compensation policies and practices in one state. The study was a mixed-methods policy analysis that used multiple linear regression, cluster analysis, and…

Describes a tax-sheltered annuity plan to help attract and keep qualified faculty. (Editor/PG)

State and federal accountability systems are pressuring public schools to improve the performance of low-achieving students. To respond, schools must be able to recruit and retain high-quality teachers, strengthen curricula, and take other steps to provide struggling students with the help they need. But such efforts are expensive and, as the…

Little in the current literature reflects the views of those affected by the various proposals being advanced to improve the quality of teachers and teaching. This paper reports on a study that attempted to learn the reactions of teachers to some of the financial-incentive proposals being made to improve the quality of teachers and teaching. A…

This study addresses concerns regarding compensation disparities between New Mexico institutions and their peers. A recommended adjustment schedule with fiscal requirements is included, but not specific recommendations for faculty at individual institutions. The average salaries for New Mexico institutions were compared with regional peers to…

This paper discusses the concept of performance-based pay, or merit pay, for teachers as a way to encourage better teaching. It begins with a general discussion of the issue of performance-based pay, which on the surface seems simple, but in practice is very complex. It continues with a discussion of whether the achievement to be assessed is based…

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a relationship between the organization representing the teachers at the bargaining table and a) the salary paid to teachers, b) the ratio of items of school districts' internal budgets, and c) the policies associated with teacher working conditions in school districts in the State of…

Statistics on the relative pay of public school teachers are routinely cited by plaintiffs in school finance ("adequacy") lawsuits. However, comparisons of pay and benefits for public school teachers to those of professional employees in other sectors are complicated by the fact that most teachers work under contracts that are nine or ten months…

The current recession in the United States imperils teachers' jobs and school reform. States are prioritizing increased spending in such areas as health care and transportation rather than educational improvement. The article discusses specific educational hard times in several states and counties. (SM)

The first of two sections discusses two major factors compelling a rethinking of school finance: standards-based education and the shift from equity to adequacy in school-finance litigation. The second section summarizes five compilations of research findings related to these two factors. (PKP)

This article describes and analyses the growing trend of teachers as mobile knowledge workers in the global labor market. According to the authors, the task of small countries of fulfilling the increasing demands of universal primary education under Education for All (EFA) is reaching crisis proportions. With a more flexible labor market, teacher…