Last year, state officials published some troubling data related to Ohio’s teacher workforce. They revealed that fewer young people are entering the profession, teacher attrition rates have risen, and worrying shortages exist in specific grades and subject areas.
To their credit, state leaders correctly interpreted these data as a warning sign and took action. The state budget included provisions to make teacher licensure more flexible and expand the pool of substitute teachers. Ohio now also has a Grow Your Own Teacher Scholarship Program and a Teacher Apprenticeship Program.
These were positive steps forward. But they focus primarily on bringing new teachers into the profession. That’s only one part of the equation. Let’s reexamine two previously pitched ideas that could help retain the teachers we already have.
1. Allow districts to pay teachers more flexibly by eliminating mandatory salary schedules based on seniority and credits earned.
Low salaries are often cited as a reason why students steer clear of the teaching profession and why some teachers choose to leave the classroom. Given the importance of teachers to student success, state and local leaders should be looking for ways to boost teacher pay regardless of the retention implications. But absent a sudden (and permanent) influx of cash, it will be difficult to raise salaries across the board. That’s where flexible salary schedules come in.
Under current law, districts must adopt teacher salary schedules based on years of service and training. These systems have the benefit of simplicity, as teachers can predict with some certainty when and how they will receive a raise. But there are also drawbacks. Mandatory schedules typically prescribe low starting salaries to early career teachers, which can drive young talent—especially teachers with considerable student loan debt—out of the profession. Rigid schedules thwart districts’ ability to reward high performers based on effectiveness or increased responsibility, which could prod our best and brightest into other professions. Salary schedules also make it difficult to bolster specific high-need areas, like special education. The number of students with special needs is rising, and special education is a potential shortage area in Ohio. Offering special education teachers additional pay could help with recruitment and retention, but current law and collective bargaining agreements make that difficult.
Repealing salary-schedule requirements would empower districts to determine how best to pay their instructional teams. State leaders should not make flexible pay mandatory. Schools should be able to stick with traditional rigid schedules if they prefer. But making room for greater flexibility would allow leaders to strategically allocate funds in a way that better serves students and helps recruit and retain staff.
2. Create a refundable tax credit for teachers working in high-poverty schools.
High-poverty schools need effective teachers. But issues such as lower salaries, inadequate support from administration, school culture and student discipline issues, and high turnover rates hinder schools’ ability to recruit and retain talent. Addressing all these problems would require a host of structural reforms, but the state could alleviate concerns about low salaries by creating a tax credit for teachers who work in high-poverty schools. Such a program would allow state leaders to put more money directly into teachers’ pockets without getting tangled up in salary negotiations with local unions and school boards. It would also provide a modest financial incentive for teachers to choose to work in high-need schools.
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To strengthen Ohio’s teacher workforce, state leaders need to invest in a variety of initiatives. There are plenty of ideas worth considering, but making sure that teachers have more money in their pockets should be at the top of the list.
