Provides evidence to show that, on a 240 workday year, beginning teachers are paid at a rate identical to starting salaries in industry. (JF)

Written for beginners in education's collective bargaining. (Author)

To understand the money gap between educators and their corporate counterparts, one must examine the entire corporate compensation package: bonuses, stock options, and other perquisites, including health club and country club memberships, free use of company-owned vacation properties, expense accounts, extensive insurance, company cars, and…

In this system, all entry-level salaries are negotiable and there are no fixed salaries for years of service or, with one exception, for educational attainment. All salary increases are across-the-board and calculated on base pay, plus a flat fee for extra duties. (Author/IRT)

Two problems based on the same set of circumstances illustrate applications of the federal wage guidelines and also illustrate that pay increases can exceed seven percent without violating the guidelines. (Author/IRT)

A survey conducted by the National Center for Education Information has found that teachers earn 7 dollars more per day than other workers with 4-year college degrees. Representatives of the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers take issue with a number of the survey's conclusions. (IW)

Discusses how the federal wage guidelines apply to teacher salaries and fringe benefits. (IRT)

Argues that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) is not the same as the cost of living and that, while the CPI may reflect changes in an "average" family's purchasing power, the expenses and purchases of teachers' families may not be "average." (Author/RW)

Presents arguments on both sides of the question of offering bonuses to teachers and administrators whose disadvantaged students showed significant increases in test scores. (IRT)

In a Philadelphia-area school district, teachers who substantially improve student performance (as individuals or as groups) now receive up to $5,000 more yearly. One of only three performance-pay plans in the country, the plan relies on objective evaluative data, not administrator observations. (MLH)

Bargaining is a political as well as an economic process and comparisons between districts are the keys to the politics of bargaining. (Author/IRT)

An Illinois district created a collaborative contract agreement that lays a foundation for future multiyear contracts. In the process, participants learned to build a participative district atmosphere benefitting all three leadership parties, seek compromise, avoid unnecessary contract language changes, allow minimal publicity about sessions, and…