In Alabama, teacher salaries are strictly based on teachers’ highest degree and number of years of experience. Other states use different systems. Some of these systems offer incentives for improving student achievement, some offer incentives for teaching in schools or subjects that have a shortage of teachers, and some use a combination of these and other factors.
2012-2013 Alabama Minimum Teacher Salary Matrix:
| Type of Certification | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Years of Publc School Experience | None | Bachelor’s | Master’s | 6-year | Doctorate | |||
| less than 3 | 36,144 | 36,144 | 41,564 | 44,818 | 48,071 | |||
| 3 but less than 6 | 39,756 | 39,756 | 45,720 | 49,297 | 52,877 | |||
| 6 but less than 9 | 41,497 | 41,497 | 47,721 | 51,470 | 55,191 | |||
| 9 but less than 12 | 42,053 | 42,053 | 48,362 | 52,148 | 55,932 | |||
| 12 but less than 15 | 42,818 | 42,818 | 49,328 | 53,093 | 56,949 | |||
| 15 but less than 18 | 43,794 | 43,794 | 50,364 | 54,305 | 58,244 | |||
| 18 but less than 21 | 44,360 | 44,360 | 51,012 | 55,055 | 58,999 | |||
| 21 but less than 24 | 44,926 | 44,926 | 51,666 | 55,708 | 59,752 | |||
| 24 but less than 27 | 45,461 | 45,461 | 52,201 | 56,245 | 60,288 | |||
| 27 or more | 45,997 | 45,997 | 52,737 | 56,780 | 60,824 | |||
Source: Alabama State Department of Education
Links:
- Educator Compensation Institute – This site includes links to news, research, and opinions about traditional and alternative teacher compensation systems.
- Educators 4 Excellence: Pay Structure – This site includes research about teacher compensation systems that are based on teacher quality.
- Policy Analysis for California Education: Alternative Teacher Compensation – This site provides research about alternative teacher compensation systems and their implementation in different states and school systems.
Resources:
- Exploring Aligned Teacher Compensation – A+ Education Foundation. This brief advocates for a teacher compensation system that is aligned with the education goals of schools and the state. This system would be based on knowledge and skills, the market for teachers in certain areas and subjects, and performance.
- The Promises and Pitfalls of Alternative Teacher Compensation Approaches – Debbi C. Harris, Ph.D. This report examines the pros and cons of different teacher compensation systems and makes a recommendation that states and districts identify their education goals and design a compensation system aligned with those goals.
- A Big Apple for Educators: New York City’s Experiment with Schoolwide Performance Bonuses – RAND Education. This report studies the implementation and effects of the New York City Schoolwide Performance Bonuses Program over three years. It concludes that the program did not improve student achievement.
- Making Teacher Incentives Work: Lessons from North Carolina’s Teacher Bonus Program– Thomas Ahn and Jacob L. Vigdor. This report examines North Carolina’s pay-for-performance teacher bonus program. It concludes that such a program can improve student performance.
