This morning Governor Bill Haslam announced he will not be moving forward this year with a proposal to give local school districts flexibility from the state-mandated teacher pay schedule.

Developing pay structures that recognize a teacher’s ability to raise student achievement is an important way that school districts can develop, support, and retain great teaching. In SCORE’s 2009 Roadmap to Success report, we identified this strategy as an important policy lever. Several school districts in Tennessee have already begun implementing these plans. Giving local school districts flexibility from the state mandated teacher pay schedule is a good step in supporting and rewarding great teaching. We applaud the Governor for tackling this tough issue.

Discussing how to move forward with more local flexibility is a good conversation to have, particularly given the increased accountability and expectations for schools and school districts. We look forward to a robust discussion on this topic moving forward.