North Carolina's Supplemental Salary Fund for Teacher Compensation: A Mixed Methods Study of Policy Administration

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Saturday 5:10 pm Four Seasons Ballroom 4
  In Roundtable Session: Teacher Compensation, Pensions, and Alternative Contract Employment (Table 12)

Abstract

Drawing on archival and salary data and interviews with school and district staff in North Carolina, we examine how salary enhancements (PRC-071) were administered and perceptions of how the funds were administered. The results indicate that PRC-071 led to increases in the salary of many teachers, especially those in rural LEAs with high poverty rates. However, educators believed that the increase was insufficient, given salaries in other districts and the overall compensation and benefits package. Additionally, districts opted to raise the salary of all eligible teachers rather than use the salary enhancement as a form of differentiated pay to retain teachers in hard-to-staff schools. Lastly, the results indicate a lack of transparency about PRC-071, which may limit its impact.

Authors

• Tamara V. Young, North Carolina State University

• Christy Batts, North Carolina State University

• Rachel Rowan, North Carolina State University

• Amber Lauren Moore, North Carolina State University

• Lam D. Pham, North Carolina State University