the equitable distribution of teachers across schools betheny gross [email protected]...
TRANSCRIPT
![Page 1: The Equitable Distribution of Teachers Across Schools Betheny Gross Betheny@u.washington.edu Marguerite Roza MargRoza@u.washington.edu University of Washington’s](https://reader035.vdocuments.mx/reader035/viewer/2022062715/56649da15503460f94a8e130/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
The Equitable Distribution
of Teachers Across Schools
Betheny Gross
Marguerite Roza
University of Washington’s Center on Reinventing Public Education
In
![Page 2: The Equitable Distribution of Teachers Across Schools Betheny Gross Betheny@u.washington.edu Marguerite Roza MargRoza@u.washington.edu University of Washington’s](https://reader035.vdocuments.mx/reader035/viewer/2022062715/56649da15503460f94a8e130/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
The Distribution of Teachers
• Lowest performing schools and schools with high numbers of poor and minority students are staffed with least experienced and least credentialed teachers (NY state, NYC, NC, TX)
• NBPTS certified teachers less likely to stay in low performing schools (NC)
• Due to accounting systems based on average costs, this inequity leads to substantial financial inequity
![Page 3: The Equitable Distribution of Teachers Across Schools Betheny Gross Betheny@u.washington.edu Marguerite Roza MargRoza@u.washington.edu University of Washington’s](https://reader035.vdocuments.mx/reader035/viewer/2022062715/56649da15503460f94a8e130/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
Response #1: There’s no problem here
“We’re lucky that we don’t have that problem (of teacher inequity) in our
district… our teacher experience and talent is distributed evenly
across our schools…
We have lots of teachers who prefer teaching inner-city students”
![Page 4: The Equitable Distribution of Teachers Across Schools Betheny Gross Betheny@u.washington.edu Marguerite Roza MargRoza@u.washington.edu University of Washington’s](https://reader035.vdocuments.mx/reader035/viewer/2022062715/56649da15503460f94a8e130/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
But…wealthier schools clearly have higher salaried teachers
High Poverty Schools Low Poverty Schools
M.L. King $36,798 Bryant $41,591
Van Asselt $37,744 Wedgewood $42,563
Rainier View $38,737 Lafayett $43,596
Teacher Average Salaries
![Page 5: The Equitable Distribution of Teachers Across Schools Betheny Gross Betheny@u.washington.edu Marguerite Roza MargRoza@u.washington.edu University of Washington’s](https://reader035.vdocuments.mx/reader035/viewer/2022062715/56649da15503460f94a8e130/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
But…wealthier schools clearly have higher salaried teachers
High Poverty Schools Low Poverty Schools
M.L. King $36,798 Bryant $41,591
Van Asselt $37,744 Wedgewood $42,563
Rainier View $38,737 Lafayett $43,596
Teacher Average Salaries
![Page 6: The Equitable Distribution of Teachers Across Schools Betheny Gross Betheny@u.washington.edu Marguerite Roza MargRoza@u.washington.edu University of Washington’s](https://reader035.vdocuments.mx/reader035/viewer/2022062715/56649da15503460f94a8e130/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
Budgets Don’t Reflect True Costs
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
Per PupilSpending in
DistrictBudgets
M.L. King(HighPoverty)
Wedgewood(LowPoverty)
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
Per PupilSpending in
Reality
M.L. King(HighPoverty)
Wedgewood(LowPoverty)
Real teacher salaries don’t show up in schools’ budgets. If they did, they’d show a discrepancy of $300,000 in spending.
![Page 7: The Equitable Distribution of Teachers Across Schools Betheny Gross Betheny@u.washington.edu Marguerite Roza MargRoza@u.washington.edu University of Washington’s](https://reader035.vdocuments.mx/reader035/viewer/2022062715/56649da15503460f94a8e130/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
In each district, the high poverty and the low performing schools had lower average salaries
Seattle Cincinnati
Figure 8: Seattle Average Teacher Salaries
$37,000
$38,000
$39,000
$40,000
$41,000
$42,000
High Poverty Schools Low PerformingSchools
Avera
ge T
each
er
Sala
ries
District-Wide Average Salary
Figure 7: Cincinnati Average Teacher Salaries
$48,000
$49,000
$50,000
$51,000
$52,000
$53,000
High PovertySchools
Low PerformingSchools
Avera
ge T
each
er
Sala
ries
District-Wide Average Salary
![Page 8: The Equitable Distribution of Teachers Across Schools Betheny Gross Betheny@u.washington.edu Marguerite Roza MargRoza@u.washington.edu University of Washington’s](https://reader035.vdocuments.mx/reader035/viewer/2022062715/56649da15503460f94a8e130/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
And again…
Baltimore CountyBaltimore
And again…Figure 5: Baltimore City Average Teacher
Salaries
$43,000
$44,000
$45,000
$46,000
$47,000
$48,000
High PovertySchools
Low PerformingSchools
Avera
ge T
eacher
Sala
ries
District-Wide Average Salary
Figure 6: Baltimore County Average Teacher Salaries
$46,000
$47,000
$48,000
$49,000
$50,000
$51,000
High Poverty Schools Low PerformingSchools
Avera
ge T
each
er
Sala
ries
District-Wide Average Salary
![Page 9: The Equitable Distribution of Teachers Across Schools Betheny Gross Betheny@u.washington.edu Marguerite Roza MargRoza@u.washington.edu University of Washington’s](https://reader035.vdocuments.mx/reader035/viewer/2022062715/56649da15503460f94a8e130/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
Response #2: Salary doesn’t matter anyway
“The inequities created by salary differences don’t amount to anything real…Higher salaried teachers don’t mean better teachers.”
![Page 10: The Equitable Distribution of Teachers Across Schools Betheny Gross Betheny@u.washington.edu Marguerite Roza MargRoza@u.washington.edu University of Washington’s](https://reader035.vdocuments.mx/reader035/viewer/2022062715/56649da15503460f94a8e130/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
Staff surveys report lower satisfaction with staff collegiality in schools with lower salaries.
![Page 11: The Equitable Distribution of Teachers Across Schools Betheny Gross Betheny@u.washington.edu Marguerite Roza MargRoza@u.washington.edu University of Washington’s](https://reader035.vdocuments.mx/reader035/viewer/2022062715/56649da15503460f94a8e130/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
Correlations with Teacher Retention In Washington State Elementary Schools (Plecki, et al. (2005))
% Poverty -0.10
% White 0.33
% African American -0.32
% Hispanic -0.06
% Native American 0.09
% Asian -0.29
% Bilingual -0.22
WASL Reading (State Assessment) 0.15
WASL Math (State Assessment) 0.14
Enrollment 0.16
But…salaries disparities are a symptom of more serious inequities
![Page 12: The Equitable Distribution of Teachers Across Schools Betheny Gross Betheny@u.washington.edu Marguerite Roza MargRoza@u.washington.edu University of Washington’s](https://reader035.vdocuments.mx/reader035/viewer/2022062715/56649da15503460f94a8e130/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
Correlations with Teacher Retention In Washington State Elementary Schools (Plecki, et al. (2005))
% Poverty -0.10
% White 0.33
% African American -0.32
% Hispanic -0.06
% Native American 0.09
% Asian -0.29
% Bilingual -0.22
WASL Reading (State Assessment) 0.15
WASL Math (State Assessment) 0.14
Enrollment 0.16
But…salaries disparities are a symptom of more serious inequities
![Page 13: The Equitable Distribution of Teachers Across Schools Betheny Gross Betheny@u.washington.edu Marguerite Roza MargRoza@u.washington.edu University of Washington’s](https://reader035.vdocuments.mx/reader035/viewer/2022062715/56649da15503460f94a8e130/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
Correlations with Teacher Retention In Washington State Elementary Schools (Plecki, et al. (2005))
% Poverty -0.10
% White 0.33
% African American -0.32
% Hispanic -0.06
% Native American 0.09
% Asian -0.29
% Bilingual -0.22
WASL Reading (State Assessment) 0.15
WASL Math (State Assessment) 0.14
Enrollment 0.16
But…salaries disparities are a symptom of more serious inequities
![Page 14: The Equitable Distribution of Teachers Across Schools Betheny Gross Betheny@u.washington.edu Marguerite Roza MargRoza@u.washington.edu University of Washington’s](https://reader035.vdocuments.mx/reader035/viewer/2022062715/56649da15503460f94a8e130/html5/thumbnails/14.jpg)
Response #3: It’s the school’s responsibility to pick the best teachers
“Our district’s policies allow each school to hire the best applicant available. With salary neutral policies, we can make the best match between teacher and school.”
![Page 15: The Equitable Distribution of Teachers Across Schools Betheny Gross Betheny@u.washington.edu Marguerite Roza MargRoza@u.washington.edu University of Washington’s](https://reader035.vdocuments.mx/reader035/viewer/2022062715/56649da15503460f94a8e130/html5/thumbnails/15.jpg)
But…Wealthier schools have many more applicants per opening
High Poverty Neighborhood
Low Poverty Neighborhood
School 1 3 School A 150
School 2 2 School B 80
School 3 1 School C N/A
Number of applicants for a recent position in a sample of elementary schools from an urban district
![Page 16: The Equitable Distribution of Teachers Across Schools Betheny Gross Betheny@u.washington.edu Marguerite Roza MargRoza@u.washington.edu University of Washington’s](https://reader035.vdocuments.mx/reader035/viewer/2022062715/56649da15503460f94a8e130/html5/thumbnails/16.jpg)
Response #4: We make up for it with categorical aid
“Schools with lower salaries get extra money for bilingual education, poverty, etc. …
These categorical funds purchase aides, lower classes, full-day kindergarten, etc. which more than off-sets the lower salaries.”
![Page 17: The Equitable Distribution of Teachers Across Schools Betheny Gross Betheny@u.washington.edu Marguerite Roza MargRoza@u.washington.edu University of Washington’s](https://reader035.vdocuments.mx/reader035/viewer/2022062715/56649da15503460f94a8e130/html5/thumbnails/17.jpg)
Federally targeted dollars layer on to an uneven base among schools within
District #1
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
Lowest poverty quartileschools
Second poverty quartileschools
Third poverty quartileschools
Highest poverty quartileschools
Schools arranged by their percent poverty
Do
llars
per
pu
pil
Average federal allocation for poverty (TitleI)
Average base (non-categorical allocation)
![Page 18: The Equitable Distribution of Teachers Across Schools Betheny Gross Betheny@u.washington.edu Marguerite Roza MargRoza@u.washington.edu University of Washington’s](https://reader035.vdocuments.mx/reader035/viewer/2022062715/56649da15503460f94a8e130/html5/thumbnails/18.jpg)
Response #5: Alright…so what do we do?
“Yes, we’re concerned about inequities in teacher quality, but what can be done? We have very limited funds to address this problem.”
“We’d love to do something, but can’t with our labor contract.”
![Page 19: The Equitable Distribution of Teachers Across Schools Betheny Gross Betheny@u.washington.edu Marguerite Roza MargRoza@u.washington.edu University of Washington’s](https://reader035.vdocuments.mx/reader035/viewer/2022062715/56649da15503460f94a8e130/html5/thumbnails/19.jpg)
Challenges to creating equity
• Typical accounting systems mask school-to-school disparities by counting with averages instead of actuals
• Local forces push for equal distributions of any new funds instead of equitable distributions
• No ready access to data on applicants or any of the many other aspects of the human resource process
• Labor contracts standardize salaries and facilitate teachers sorting toward advantaged schools, privileging teacher preferences over system equity
![Page 20: The Equitable Distribution of Teachers Across Schools Betheny Gross Betheny@u.washington.edu Marguerite Roza MargRoza@u.washington.edu University of Washington’s](https://reader035.vdocuments.mx/reader035/viewer/2022062715/56649da15503460f94a8e130/html5/thumbnails/20.jpg)
What is the right level to address the problem?
• State-wide policy may not work since inequities in large part occur within districts
• But…fixing the problem in one district won’t be enough when there are multiple districts within one labor market
![Page 21: The Equitable Distribution of Teachers Across Schools Betheny Gross Betheny@u.washington.edu Marguerite Roza MargRoza@u.washington.edu University of Washington’s](https://reader035.vdocuments.mx/reader035/viewer/2022062715/56649da15503460f94a8e130/html5/thumbnails/21.jpg)
What’s being done?• Improved data reporting revealing sorting patterns
and actual spending
“Layer on” / “work around” strategies• Targeted incentives to attract and retain teachers in
high needs schools • Efforts to change working conditions and provide
professional development• Put great principals in needy schools
Structural changes• Weighted Student Funding with real salaries• Changes in teacher compensation systems
![Page 22: The Equitable Distribution of Teachers Across Schools Betheny Gross Betheny@u.washington.edu Marguerite Roza MargRoza@u.washington.edu University of Washington’s](https://reader035.vdocuments.mx/reader035/viewer/2022062715/56649da15503460f94a8e130/html5/thumbnails/22.jpg)
To work toward more equitable distribution
Get data and acknowledge the problem.
Develop plans to experiment with new solutions to the teacher distribution problem.
Work to remove institutional barriers to equitable distribution of teacher costs (minimum state salary schedule).
If incentives are used, monitor recipients of incentives to gauge distribution among schools within districts and their impact on salary inequities.
Keep an eye on the prize: gauge progress as equity in student performance, teacher quality, or access to talent.