In Florida, state economists predicted an additional $4 billion from tax dollars alone. In Idaho, where Governor Brad Little has approved $1,000 bonuses and up to 10 percent pay increases for teachers, economists expected to see an additional $1.6 billion by the end of the fiscal year in June.
Thomas S. Dee, an economist and professor at Stanford University, said states should have used this money to target high-performing teachers, or those in subjects, such as special education and the sciences, which are often hard to fill.
“I think it’s a good idea to pay teachers more in light of inflation and in light of what they’ve been through in recent years,” he said. “But I really see a missed opportunity in terms of increasing the teaching profession and improving teacher effectiveness.”
dr. Dee points to the Washington, DC school district, which introduced a program that targeted pay increases for high-performing teachers and those who fell short of standards, and were therefore already more likely to leave. In a recent study of this program, Dr. Dee that the program helped students with their performance.
This conflicts with what most of these participating states are doing now, said Dr. Dee, where every teacher, regardless of their job, gets a raise.
“It’s not targeting the places where turnover and shortages are most prevalent and have the most damaging effects,” he said.
Mrs. Smith, the Mississippi teacher, isn’t sure what she plans to do with her $5,100 raise, but she has a few ideas. Her car is sputtering, so she can use the money to buy a new one. And there is always the opportunity to spoil her grandchildren.
“I think it means more now, not just because it’s financial, but also because of the timing of it at the end of the pandemic,” she said. “This is just that little bit extra. That’s our pat on the back to keep going and keep moving forward. Because the past few years have been very difficult.”