A report released Thursday says Pennsylvania doesn't offer incentive pay to keep good teachers, but several Allegheny County school districts say money isn't necessarily an issue.
Pennsylvania's policies to identify and keep good teachers need to be reviewed, the National Council of Teacher Quality concluded in its annual report on retention policies. Pennsylvania, with a D+, was among the 35 states plus the District of Columbia to receive a D or F on teacher retention policies in the report that cited a need for retention bonuses and other financial benefits.
The state "does not support retention bonuses, compensation for relevant prior work experience or performance pay," the report said. Districts should offer $10,000 salary increases once a teacher achieves tenure, said Kate Walsh, the council's president.
The Washington-based advocacy group lobbies for reform in teacher policies.
"Financial incentives are not essential," said Suzan Petersen, assistant to the superintendent in West Jefferson Hills School District. "It's having met success that builds your confidence, and pride in a profession, that makes people want to stay."
During 2006-07, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, the average teacher in an Allegheny County school district worked in that district just over 12 years and was a teacher for more than 14 years. That is slightly lower than the state average of nearly 13 and 15 years, respectively.
"When you get good teachers, you want to support them and make sure they stay with you," said Dale Lumley, assistant superintendent for secondary education at Gateway School District. "Every time you make a change, a teacher you bring in may have the potential to be a good teacher, but might need work."
Mentoring programs like those offered at Gateway, Pittsburgh Public Schools and West Jefferson Hills are important to professional development and contribute to teacher retention, said Wythe Keever, spokesman for the Pennsylvania State Education Association. Keever believes the state does a better job of retaining teachers than most states.
Pennsylvania scored high for terminating ineffective teachers, though the state awards tenure too freely, Walsh said. Pennsylvania teachers receive tenure after three years, which allows them to work through a process before termination; that length of time is the national average. Walsh believes that number is too low.
"You really need four or five years and a good three years of data to make a determination," Walsh said. "Simply, you want to make sure that a teacher is effective. But now, it's automatic. In Pennsylvania, if a teacher has served three years and hasn't been dismissed, they have tenure."
Keever said the tenure policy, which the report criticized, is a way to give good teachers job protection.
"It doesn't mean you can't be dismissed, like it might in higher education," Keever said. "It doesn't guarantee employment for a bad teacher, but protects good teachers."
The state Education Department will review the report and look for ways to improve policies, though most are driven by school districts, said spokeswoman Leah Harris.
"We know that preparation of a teacher is essential to retention," Harris said. "The more we prepare a teacher, the more likely they will be successful in the classroom."
Additional Information:How they ranked
Pennsylvania received an overall D+ in the National Council for Teaching Quality's teacher policy report. That might be a failing grade in schools the report analyzes, but the state ranks in the middle of states nationally.
A breakdown of overall grades:
• One state, South Carolina, received a B-
• Six states, including Ohio, received a C
• 8 states, including West Virginia, received a C-
• 17 states, including Pennsylvania, received a D+
• 8 states received a D
• 5 states, including New York, received a D-
• 5 states and the District of Columbia received an F
No state received an F in all three areas examined by the report. Only one state, South Carolina, received an A in any area.
