Do statewide teacher salary schedules pay?

On Board Online • April 11, 2016

By Paul Heiser
Senior Research Analyst

There are 728 school districts and BOCES in New York State, each with their own unique salary schedules.

As a result, the average annual salary for a teacher with a bachelor's degree and 10 years of experience ranges from as little as $35,479 or as much as $89,830 in 2013, according to a recent study by the Education Commission of the States (ECS).

While teacher salary disparities are common throughout the U.S., they are less pronounced in 17 states, according to the study. Those states and the District of Columbia have statewide salary schedules that set minimum salaries based on a teacher's education level and years of service.

"For many, this is a fairness issue - teachers need to be ensured that they will be able to make a living wage, irrespective of the community that they are teaching in," said the report.

The report found that some states also use statewide salary schedules to attract and retain quality teachers. Since school districts compete to hire qualified teachers, a uniform salary schedule can help ensure that all districts are providing a fair wage to their teachers. In addition, salary schedules can be adjusted to make sure that pay keeps pace with inflation and with what neighboring states are paying their teachers.

The study prompts philosophical questions: What's better - statewide salary schedules or local collective bargaining? What are the pros and cons of each? Apart from the merits, would a statewide salary schedule be feasible in New York?

State funding is the "big elephant in the room" in any discussion of statewide salary schedules, according to Karl Kristoff, an attorney with the Hodgson Russ law firm who specializes in school law and public sector labor relations work.

"There are many communities in the state well able to argue rightfully that they haven't the resources necessary to fund such a minimum salary schedule," Kristoff told On Board. "That, in turn, raises the question of whether the taxpayers across New York would be willing and/or able to sustain the extra tax burden necessary to make statewide minimum salaries for teachers a reality."

Kristoff said if the minimum salary approach really were to work, the best funding mechanism might be one similar to one used in West Virginia. There, the state provides grants to its lower-paying school districts with a view toward ensuring relatively competitive salaries for teachers across the state.

Daniel Mannix, the superintendent of the Beekmantown school district in Clinton County, likes the concept of a statewide schedule, assuming state aid supports the minimum salaries. "A rising tide lifts all boats," Mannix told On Board. "It would certainly have a similar effect for teachers as the $15 minimum wage would for low-wage workers."

But Mannix also sees pitfalls. Much would depend on state support from year to year. And if you carve out a state salary schedule for teachers, what about other public employees?

Jon Hunter, interim superintendent in the Byron-Bergen school district, questions how much pay disparity interferes with the recruitment and retention of teachers. He points to research that found performance bonuses typically do not influence whether teachers stay in a high-need school environment. The most significant factors were administrative and peer support and resources.

On the other hand, anyone who has been involved in contract negotiations knows teachers care a great deal about salaries, said Jason Van Fossen, superintendent of the Maine-Endwell school district. Districts can hesitate to continually raise starting salaries, as it can have the impact of pushing salaries among teachers closer together. Consider a teacher started at $26,000, has worked for 20 years and is currently making $60,000. How would he or she feel if a new teacher with no experience started at $46,750?

"I would hope that any consideration of a salary schedule in New York State would give thorough evaluation and review of the challenges facing business as a result of the $15 minimum wage debate," said Jason Van Fossen, superintendent of the Maine-Endwell school district. "The correlation is accurate."

Howard Goldsmith, an attorney with the Harris Beach law firm, pointed out that salary schedules could have a big impact on teachers' starting salaries but would not address issues other issues involving the fairness of education funding in the state.

"Not only would statewide teacher salary schedules not properly and fully address the equity issues in our state, but given the reality and diversity of New York's political and legislative dynamics, statewide salary schedules will never be adopted," Goldsmith told On Board.

The reason, according to Goldsmith, is the tradition of strong local control and union representation in New York. He said the Legislature would never pass a strong enough law or mandates that would be sufficient to impact negotiations to benefit districts. Plus, even if they passed a law to help close the inequities, sufficient funding would be an issue.

"The Legislature and governor have been notorious for passing good ideas and positive steps for districts, but in going through this process, they forget about the other critical issue of the need to fund the legislation for it to move from concept to reality," he said.

Goldsmith said statewide teacher salary schedules make more sense in smaller, less diverse states. He pointed out that most of the states in the ECS report with statewide salary schedules are smaller and less diverse socially, economically and geographically, although the list does include Illinois and Texas.

NYSSBA has no position on a statewide salary schedule.