Merit-Based Pay in Kansas: Competing Actors and Motives

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  In Roundtable Session: All About the Money? New Perspectives on Teacher Compensation

Abstract

Drawing on open source documents maintained by the Kansas Legislature covering the Spring 2016 legislative session, authors analyzed the policy discourse around merit-based pay for Kansas teachers. Specifically, the study aims to address three research questions: 1) Who are the policy actors in Kansas education legislation? 2) What are the issues being discussed in legislative education committees? and 3) What are the potential motives driving policy actors? Authors found that current state-level power holders are considering reforms that are modeled on business principles without the support of those individuals whom such reforms most impact. This analysis provides insight into the overall goal to move the state provision of education towards this model.

Authors

• Katie Lynn Allen, Kansas State University

• Jessica Holloway, Deakin University