Re: TNTP’s new report, Shortchanged:

Today, we’re putting a stake in the ground on teacher pay. In our new paper, Shortchanged: The Hidden Costs of Lockstep Teacher Pay, we argue that the standard mode of compensating teachers—based on years of experience and advanced degrees—is shortchanging our best educators, hurting our students and degrading the teaching profession. Lockstep pay simply doesn’t build the profession we want…

It’s time to build smarter compensation systems that pay great teachers what they’re really worth, by focusing on higher starting salaries, pay bumps for strong classroom performance, and incentives for great teachers in high-need schools. As a nation, we say we believe in the value of great teaching, but sadly, today’s pay system says we think teachers are widgets and excellence doesn’t matter. It’s time to put our money where our mouths are.