AUSTIN — Today, the Texas Public Policy Foundation released a report by Economist Vance Ginn, Ph.D. and Policy Analyst Michael Barba explaining the relationship between a competitive school market and increases in teacher pay and job satisfaction.
“Salaries are a perennial point of contention for teachers, with 45 percent saying it’s a dissatisfying part of their profession. Due to lack of competition for their services, teacher pay lags behind what many other professionals earn,” said Barba. “While most Texans believe good teachers should be paid more, the current system fails to meet the expectations of the public regarding pay and of teachers regarding working conditions. It is time to seriously consider other options suggested by many experts that would benefit both teachers and students.”
“School choice’s primary effect on Texas teachers would be to increase average teacher pay, said Ginn. “As teachers’ compensation increases, public schools will divert more spending to the classroom, thereby increasing school efficiency. This will contribute to teachers having more input in their school’s operation. School choice would do for teachers what no amendment to any salary schedule, or more state spending, can accomplish.
“With teachers clearly winning from school choice, bright young minds will win in the process. This will help Texas lead the way economically, socially, and academically.”
To read the full report, visit: http://txpo.li/teachers-win
Michael Barba is a Scholar at the Center for Education Freedom at the Texas Public Policy Foundation.
Vance Ginn, Ph.D., is an Economist in the Center for Fiscal Policy at the Texas Public Policy Foundation.
The Texas Public Policy Foundation is a non-profit, free-market research institute based in Austin.
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