OCPA column: Teacher shortage tied to incentives

Teacher shortage tied to incentives By Jonathan Small If people are paid for tenure—length of service—rather than quality, what do you think is most likely? Will that system attract quality workers, or workers willing to simply hold down a spot? The answer is obvious. That system incentives tenure over quality. But in practice, policymakers are continually surprised a tenure-based pay system doesn’t attract the best and brightest, only those willing to fill a slot and bide their time. Thus, policymakers are “shocked” that Oklahoma still has a teacher shortage just three years after passing major, across-the-board pay raises. In 2018, lawmakers raised taxes and bumped teacher pay significantly. An Oklahoma State School Boards Association official recently noted teacher salaries have now been increased by almost $10,000 apiece and state school appropriations are up by $750 million. But the teacher shortage persists, as indicated by the number of emergency-certified teachers. Read more » by Jamison Faught - November 08, 2021 at 12:00PM

OCPA column: Teacher shortage tied to incentives Click the title to read the entire article at Muskogee Politico