Teacher Compensation Policy
Shortage-Subject Areas: Massachusetts does not support differential pay by which a teacher can earn additional compensation by teaching certain subjects.
High-Need Schools: Massachusetts does not offer incentives to teach at high-need schools.
Support
differential pay initiatives for effective teachers in both shortage-subject
areas and high-need schools.
Massachusetts should encourage districts to link compensation to
district needs. Such policies can help districts achieve a more equitable
distribution of teachers.
Massachusetts recognized the factual accuracy of this analysis. The state added that it does not have statewide incentives but also does not restrict or limit local schools or districts from deciding to do so.
8B: High-Need Schools and Subjects
States should help address chronic shortages and needs. States should ensure that state-level policies (such as a uniform salary schedule) do not interfere with districts' flexibility in compensating teachers in ways that best meet their individual needs and resources. However, when it comes to addressing chronic shortages, states should do more than simply get out of the way. They should provide direct support for differential pay for effective teaching in shortage subject areas and high-need schools.[1] Attracting effective and qualified teachers to high-need schools or filling vacancies in hard-to-staff subjects are problems that are frequently beyond a district's ability to solve. States that provide direct support for differential pay in these areas are taking an important step in promoting the equitable distribution of quality teachers.[2] Short of providing direct support, states can also use policy levers to indicate to districts that differential pay is not only permissible but necessary.