Flexibility Could Raise Teacher Pay, But Unions Oppose It

Giving superintendents the flexibility to pay teachers more might seem like a slam-dunk for teachers and students. But their unions actually oppose it.

According to Naomi Nix with The 74, Indiana legislators are considering giving superintendents the power to pay teachers more if they are harder to find. Nix gave two examples: "The experienced high school chemistry teacher who quits in the middle of the year for a higher-paying gig across the state can leave dozens of students without a knowledgeable educator in front of the classroom. An opening for a special education teacher that goes weeks without a qualified applicant can mean the neediest students don't get the support their disability requires."

If superintendents had the flexibility to offer more money, they might be able to retain those teachers, or to attract someone of equal talent and expertise. This wouldn't mean a cut in the average teacher's pay — just that certain teachers could be offered higher salaries as the need arose.

Those who know economics well understand the logic at play. When demand for a certain type of teacher is relatively high, the price to get them rises. When prices are high, it encourages more supply.

But Indiana teachers' unions are having none of it, because it represents a small but real threat to union monopoly power. "I just see it as opening the door for school districts ... to start bargaining with teachers individually," Rick Muir, president of American Federation of Teachers Indiana, told Nix.

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