Research shows the importance of teachers in driving student outcomes. With the nationwide trend of high teacher burnout and attrition, it is especially important to improve how teachers are compensated and rewarded so that schools and districts can attract, support, and retain an experienced, effective workforce that mirrors the diversity of the student population. However, enacting this goal in state or district policy is complex.

Making changes to teacher compensation is a political, financial, and structural process that requires the engagement of many interested parties with differing points of view and competing priorities. This guide helps the planning and collaboration process by equipping leaders with the tools to ask the right questions that facilitate a structured conversation about elevating teacher compensation. It is organized to help state and district leaders think about how to develop a vision, cultivate authentic community engagement and political will, harness data, design effective processes, and address finance and implementation concerns.