Follow-up Research – 2005 National Survey of Parents and Teachers

Summary

The purpose of this project was to inform debate about teacher pay by examining and reporting on data collected in an earlier survey called Parent and Teacher Views on Education: A Policymaker’s Guide. The initial research project measured opinions from large sample groups of teachers and parents to determine their views on a wide range of topics, probe their knowledge of alternative practices being introduced in others schools, and provide a baseline of data for future research. This follow-up project targeted two areas for a deeper look – school assessment and accountability, and teacher evaluations and compensation. Focus groups were held to determine the degree to which parents and teachers were informed about existing compensation policies and new practices. This research resulted in a benchmark measurement of parent and teacher views on a variety of school reforms, including different systems of teacher compensation.

Grant Outputs

Beyond the Grid: A Canadian Look at the Terrain of Teacher Compensation – http://maxbell.org/sites/default/files/BeyondtheGrid.pdf

This report utilized data gathered in a 2005 survey of approximately 2000 parents and 2000 teachers, and considers this data alongside the results of teacher and parent focus group discussions. Based on this information, the report concludes with a series of policy recommendations, including alternative compensation models. The report recommends developing a new compensation policy in a holistic manner, recognizing that it would be ineffective to increase teacher salaries without also enhancing teacher training and professional development opportunities, and reforming measurements of teacher effectiveness, such as student assessment tests.