Spotlight on Teacher Compensation Reforms: Insights and Innovations from State and District Leaders

Teacher compensation is a key driver of teacher recruitment and retention, and has become a top priority for states across the country, many of which have proposed or passed legislation seeking to raise minimum salaries. Despite growing public and political support for improving teacher pay, school systems must navigate the tension between the push to pay teachers more and shrinking district budgets in the wake of declining K–12 enrollment and the expiration of federal COVID-19 relief funds. Join us for a 60-minute virtual webinar hosted by WestEd and featuring a panel of state and district leaders from across the country who have been tackling this issue on the ground to learn about how they have engaged the public, explored approaches to redesigning salary structures, and considered approaches to raising revenue or expense tradeoffs to cover the cost. Building upon the five core principles outlined in the Teacher Compensation Reform Decision Guide published by WestEd in 2023, this webinar brings together experts in the field, including state policy leaders and district superintendents and Chief Financial Officers to tackle the issue at the forefront of compensation reform—how do we pay for it? Featured Speakers Erin Lair, Former Superintendent, Baker School District (OR) Dr. Victor Diaz, Organization Development Specialist, WestEd Dr. Sara Hale, Chief Operating Officer for Milford School District (DE) Dr. Joshua Michael, Vice President, Maryland State Board of Education Dr. Mark Holodick, Secretary, Delaware Department of Education Webinar Moderators Dana Grayson, Director of Teacher Workforce, WestEd Sarah Barzee, Senior Director of State Education Services, WestEd Tara Bergfeld, Senior Education Finance Associate, WestEd