Policymakers know that improving teaching in our schools requires a systemic look at many policies related to educator effectiveness. For example, teacher preparation programs need to be dramatically improved and strengthened, but without accompanying reform in compensation, even highly effective and innovative schools of education are unlikely to…

This report presents findings from the Pilot Teacher Compensation Survey (TCS), which collected data for school year 2005-2006. This pilot collection is a research and development effort to see if it is possible to collect and publish teacher-level data from the administrative records residing in state departments of education. Seven states…

The Common Core of Data (CCD) is an annual collection of public elementary and secondary education data administered by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and its collection agent, the U.S. Census Bureau. Data for CCD surveys are provided by state education agencies (SEAs). This report presents summary data from the Pilot Teacher…

Offers four critical considerations for secondary schools considered year-round on a 4-quarter basis: (1) essentially equalized enrollment in all four quarters is impossible to achieve and sustain; (2) subject matter must be reorganized to fit a year-round calendar; (3) qualified teaching personnel must be available to fill in for those who take a…

Data from 66 Iowa school districts with collective bargaining and 66 without collective bargaining were compared to determine if they differed in teacher salaries, fringe benefits, or provisions for leaves of absence. The time period covered extended from 1975-76 school year, 1 year before collective bargaining started, to 1979-80, the fourth year…

This paper is a report on a study of public-school teachers' salaries in Iowa. The general purpose of the study was to better understand how recent teacher-compensation legislation would affect the Iowa education system. Specific goals were to examine the current Iowa public-school salary schedules and salaries across time (1984-2002); to compare…

This study was commissioned by the State of Iowa to identify the current status and applicability of performance-based teacher compensation plans. After a review of the literature to establish the current status of merit pay and to identify districts throughout the United States that are presently using performance-based compensation plans, a…