Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

How Are Districts and States Using Pay to Staff High-Need Schools and Subjects?

  • 05/30/18

Paying teachers more to work in high-need schools and subjects—known as “differential pay”—is one of the most powerful tools school districts have on hand to secure the teachers they need. 

 While offering a higher salary for positions in high-need schools and subjects is most compelling, it is not the only differential pay action available. A review of a sample of districts and all 50 states plus D.C. shows that some entrepreneurial education leaders have adopted creative differential pay policies, offering incentives that range from up to a $20,000 bonus in D.C. for teaching in a high-needs school to mortgage assistance for teachers in both high-need schools and subjects in Connecticut. 

 In working to adopt and implement differential pay policies, both districts and states should look to these examples from their peers. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • A review of the 100 biggest school districts in the country along with the biggest district in each state shows that two out of three districts have some sort of policy that supports additional pay for teachers in high-need schools and of high-need subjects.
  • For both high-need schools and subjects, the most common way that districts provide additional pay is through an annual supplement rather than by raising teachers’ salaries.
  • The districts in this sample are nearly twice as likely to have policies to pay teachers more to teach high-need subjects, such as STEM, ESL, and special education, than to pay teachers more to work in high-need schools.
  • Among all 50 states and the District of Columbia, 35 have some policy regarding differential pay, leaving 16 with none. These include incentives such as loan forgiveness, mortgage assistance, and additional pay in the form of stipends or bonuses or salary awards.
  • States are more likely than districts to have policies encouraging teachers to work in high-need schools, but are less likely to have policies for teachers of high-need subjects. 

To explore the NCTQ Teacher Contract Database, visit: https://www.nctq.org/contract-database/

Featured

  • UNT Dallas Holds Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony for $100M STEM Building

    The University of North Texas at Dallas in Dallas, Texas, recently celebrated the opening of its new, $100-million STEM Building, according to local news. The ceremony on Dec. 2 preceded the first day of classes in the facility on Jan. 12, 2026.

  • classroom with crystal ball on top of a desk

    Call for Opinions: Spaces4Learning 2026 Predictions for Educational Facilities

    As 2025 winds to a close, the Spaces4Learning staff is asking its readers—school administrators, architects, engineers, facilities managers, builders, superintendents, designers, vendors, and more—to send us their predictions for educational facilities in 2026.

  • NWEA Report Recommends K–12 Natural Disaster Recovery Strategies

    The Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA), a K–12 assessment and research organization, recently announced the release of a new playbook for schools and communities recovering from extreme weather events, according to a news release.

  • LAN, Inc. Opens Office in College Station, Texas

    Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN) recently announced the opening of a new office in College Station, Texas, to support its regional client base, according to a news release. The organization provides engineering, design, and program management services for water, wastewater, transportation, stormwater, and education clients in the Brazos Valley.