Retaining Effective Teachers Policy
New Mexico neither supports differential pay by which a teacher can earn additional compensation by teaching certain subjects nor offers incentives to teach in high-needs schools. However, the state has no regulatory language preventing districts from providing such differential pay.
Teachers who are National Board Certified are eligible to receive an annual supplement equal to 1.5 program units, which is approximately $5,800. However, this differential pay is not tied to high-needs schools or subject area shortages.
Support differential pay initiatives for effective teachers in both subject shortage areas and high-needs schools.
New Mexico should encourage districts to link compensation to district needs. Such policies can help districts achieve a more equitable distribution of teachers.
Consider tying National Board supplements to teaching in high-needs schools.
This differential pay could be an incentive to attract some of the state's most effective teachers to its low-performing schools.
New Mexico recognized the factual accuracy of this analysis.