Executive Summary
Career ladder programs allow teachers to earn a supplement to their incomes by completing activities such as student mentoring and earning professional credentials. These plans are optional in Missouri, with neither school districts nor teachers being required to participate. Missouri is one of the few states to have a state-funded career ladder program, though related incentive or merit-based pay structures for teachers are used in some states and school districts. Though still in code, Missouri’s teacher career ladder program has not been funded since 2011. House Bill 2493 would make several changes to the structure of the teacher career program, including reducing the number of service years required to enter into the program and expanding the number of qualifying activities for such programs. Additionally, it would increase state matching for such programs from 40% to 60%.
Highlights
Limitations
This is an addendum to a previous Science Note on Teacher Recruitment & Retention.