Some Metro Atlanta School Districts Consider New Ways to Pay Teachers
Some Georgia school districts are rethinking the way they pay teachers. Systems that have achieved charter district status have the autonomy to do that.
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Most Georgia school districts follow a similar salary schedule for teachers. Teachers are paid based on years of experience and their level of education. But that model has been tough for some districts to sustain. Dayton Hibbs, the associate superintendent for the Marietta City Schools, says the system hasn't been able to give teachers raises recently.
“For several years, we haven’t really been able to follow that schedule due to the realities of our economy,” he says. “So a huge goal in this process was to create a balanced compensation system that was also sustainable.”
Marietta is a charter district. That status allows the system to waive some state requirements, including the salary schedule.
Hibbs says the district is considering a model that will reimburse teachers for tuition and will compensate those who take on leadership roles at their schools.
“So, if we have a teacher-leader who is able to lead a group of colleagues that is focused on student achievement outcomes, then we want to be able to compensate that individual to a higher degree,” Hibbs says.
Hibbs says the district is currently seeking teacher feedback on the proposal, which will be presented to the school board in December. If approved, the plan won’t take full effect until the 2015-2016 school year.
The Fulton County school system is the state’s largest charter district. Officials there are also considering a new salary structure. The Fulton County schools did not respond to interview requests before deadline.
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