Niche.com ranks Missouri 39th in the nation in teacher pay. Paul Katnik, Assistant Commissioner of Missouri’s Office of Educator Quality, says the state’s school teachers make roughly 49,000-dollars annually.
A Vanderbilt University study says teacher merit pay for student performance has merit. During Tuesday’s State Board of Education meeting, Katnik discussed the study that shows pay-for-performance structures have considerable political and financial support.
All of Missouri’s eight bordering states rank higher in teacher pay, except for Arkansas and Oklahoma. Katnik says paying teachers more would keep some teachers around and would be felt in the classroom.
According to the Missouri School Boards’ Association, Missouri school districts are required to pay teachers on a uniform salary schedule and the state constitution prohibits paying bonuses.
