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TEACHERS AND TEACHING
Section 3

Question 1: Public school teachers are leaving the classroom in great numbers. Here are some reasons that are sometimes given. Which three of these do you think are the main reasons why teachers are leaving their jobs? Discipline problems in the schools; Low teacher salaries; Students are unmotivated/uninterested in school; Parents don't support teachers; Parents are not interested in children's progress; Lack of public financial support for education; Low standing of teaching as a profession; Difficulty of advancement; Outstanding teacher performance goes unrewarded. (Asked in: 1982.)
[Code: 724-TeaTX-1]
1982
National Totals
%
Discipline problems in the schools
63
Low teacher salaries
52
Students are unmotivated/uninterested in school
37
Parents don't support teachers
37
Parents are not interested in children's progress
25
Lack of public financial support for education
24
Low standing of teaching as a profession
15
Difficulty of advancement
14
Outstanding teacher performance goes unrewarded
13
Don't know
4

Criteria to Be Used in Awarding Merit Pay
Question 2: This card lists possible criteria for giving additional pay to teachers for special merit. As I read off each one by letter, please tell me if you think it should or should not be used to determine which teachers should receive merit pay. Academic achievement or improvement of students (as measured by standardized tests); Administrators' evaluations; An advanced degree, such as a master's or Ph.D.; Evaluation by other teachers in the system; Length of teaching experience; Students' evaluations; Parents' opinions. (Asked in: 1984, 2009.)
[Code: 725-TeaTC-2]

National Totals
Should Be Criterion
Should Not Be Criterion
No Opinion
1984
%
2009
%
1984
%
2009
%
1984
%
2009
%
Academic achievement or improvement of students (as measured by standardized tests)
68
73
25
26
7
1
Administrators' evaluations
67
72
26
26
7
2
An advanced degree, such as a master's or Ph.D.
66
81
27
19
7
-
Evaluation by other teachers in the system
48
56
42
43
10
1
Length of teaching experience
48
67
47
32
5
1
Students' evaluations
45
50
47
49
8
1
Parents' opinions
36
49
55
50
9
1

Merit Pay
Question 3: How do you, yourself, feel about the idea of merit pay for teachers in general, do you favor or oppose it? (Asked in: 1984, 1985, 2009.)
[Code: 726-TeaTM-3]
National Totals
Year
Favor
%
Oppose
%
No Opinion
%
2009
72
21
7
1985
60
24
16
1984
65
22
13

Question 4: Should each teacher be paid on the basis of the quality of his or her work, or should all teachers be paid on a standard-scale basis? (Asked in: 1970, 1983, 2010.)
[Code: 727-TeaTM-4]
National Totals
Year
Quality of Work
%
Standard Scale
%
Don't Know
%
2010
71
27
2
1983
61
31
8
1970
58
36
6

Question 5: Some states have recently adopted merit pay programs which would provide additional pay for outstanding teacher performance. Have you heard or read anything about these programs? (Asked in: 1984.)
[Code: 728-TeaTM-5]
National Totals
Year
Yes
%
No
%
Don't Know
%
1984
51
45
4

Salaries Paid to Teachers
Question 6: Do you approve or disapprove of a proposed plan that would base the salaries of public school classroom teachers on how well their students perform on the standardized test adopted by the state to track student progress? (Asked in: 2002, 2008.)
[Code: 729-TeaTS-6]
National Totals
Year
Approve
%
Disapprove
%
Don't Know
%
2008
48
46
6
2002
43
54
3

Public School Parents
Year
Approve
%
Disapprove
%
Don't Know
%
2008
51
44
5
2002
46
52
2

Question 7: Do you favor or oppose an increased pay scale for those teachers who have proved themselves particularly capable? (Asked in: 1988.)
[Code: 730-TeaTS-7]
National Totals
Year
Favor
%
Oppose
%
Don't Know
%
1988
84
11
5

Question 8: Do you favor or oppose extra pay for teaching particularly effectively; for teaching the basic "core" subjects -- English, math, science, history, and geography; for teaching in dangerous school environments; and for serving as mentors for new teachers? (Asked in: 1991.)
[Code: 731-TeaTS-8]

1991
National Totals
Favor
%
Oppose
%
Don't Know
%
For teaching particularly effectively
69
24
7
For teaching in dangerous school environments
63
29
8
For serving as mentors for new teachers
49
39
12
For teaching the core subjects
39
53
8

Question 9: Do you think salaries for teachers in this community are too high, too low, or just about right? (Asked in: 1969, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1990, 2003, 2015.)
[Code: 732-TeaTS-9]
National Totals
Year
Too High
%
Too Low
%
Just About Right
%
Don't Know
%
2015
5
58
23
14
2003
6
59
33
2
1990
5
50
31
14
1985
6
33
43
18
1984
7
37
41
15
1983
8
35
31
26
1981
10
29
41
20
1969
2
33
43
22

Question 10: Do you think that raising teacher salaries would improve the quality of education in the schools in this community a great deal, a fair amount, not very much, or almost not at all? (Asked in: 1990.)
[Code: 733-TeaTS-10]
National Totals
Year
A Great Deal
%
A Fair Amount
%
Not Very Much
%
Not Very Much
%
Don't Know
%
1990
16
35
28
17
4

Question 11: How important do you think each of the following factors should be in determining a public school teacher's salary? Very important, somewhat important, not very important, or not at all important? Level of academic degree earned; Years of teaching experience; Scores the teacher's students receive on standardized tests. (Asked in: 1999, 2011.)
[Code: 734-TeaTS-11]

National Totals
Very Important
Somewhat Important
Not Very Important
Not Important At All
Don't Know
 
'11
%
'99
%
'11
%
'99
%
'11
%
'99
%
'11
%
'99
%
'11
%
'99
%
Level of academic degree earned
38
60
51
33
8
5
3
1
-
1
Years of teaching experience
38
52
44
35
13
9
5
4
-
-
Scores the teacher's students receive on standardized tests
29
47
44
38
19
10
8
4
-
1
Principal evaluations (asked in 2011)
38
 
49
 
10
 
3
 
-
 

Question 12: In your opinion, how closely should a teacher's salary be tied to his or her students' academic achievement -- very closely tied, somewhat closely tied, not very closely tied, or not at all tied? (Asked in: 2000, 2010.)
[Code: 735-TeaTS-12]
National Totals

Year
Very Closely Tied
%
Somewhat Closely Tied
%
Not Very Closely Tied
%
Not Tied at All
%
Don't Know
%
2010
19
54
14
13
<.5
2000
25
35
12
24
4

Question 13: In your opinion, should teachers be paid higher salaries as an incentive to teach in schools which have been identified as in need of improvement or not? (Asked in: 2003, 2008, 2010.)
[Code: 736-TeaTS-13]
National Totals
Year
Yes, Should
%
No, Should Not
%
Don't Know
%
2010
68
31
1
2008
70
25
5
2003
65
33
2

Public School Parents
Year
Yes, Should
%
No, Should Not
%
Don't Know
%
2010
68
31
1
2008
72
23
5
2003
67
32
1

Question 14: This card list various income categories. What do you think the annual salary should be for a beginning public school teacher in this community with a bachelor's degree and teaching certificate? Less than $10,000; $10,000 - $11,999; $12,000 - $13,999; $14,000 - $15,999; $16,000 - $17,999; $18,000 - $19,999; $20,000 - $24,999; $25,000 - $29,999 $30,000 and over; Don't know. [Asked with the following question.] (Asked in: 1986.)
[Code: 738-TeaTS-14]

Question 15: Now, what do you think the salary actually is in this community for a beginning teacher with a bachelor's degree and teaching certificate? Less than $10,000; $10,000 - $11,999; $12,000 - $13,999; $14,000 - $15,999; $16,000 - $17,999; $18,000 - $19,999; $20,000 - $24,999; $25,000 - $29,999; $30,000 and over; Don't know. [Asked with the previous question.] (Asked in: 1986.)
[Code: 737-TeaTS-15]
1986
National Totals
Salary Categories
What People Think Beginning Teachers Should Be Paid
%
What People Think Beginning Teachers Are Actually Paid
%
Less than $10,000
3
3
$10,000 - $11,999
4
7
$12,000 - $13,999
6
12
$14,000 - $15,999
13
15
$16,000 - $17,999
12
16
$18,000 - $19,999
16
11
$20,000 - $24,999
19
6
$25,000 - $29,999
8
3
$30,000 and over
6
2
Don't know
13
25
Average salary deserved: $21,300
Median salary deserved: $19,500

Question 16: What do you think the annual salary should be for a beginning public school teacher in this community with a bachelor's degree and teaching certificate? [Similar to question 14 above, but with updated salary scale. Compare to differently worded question 17 below.] Under $25,000; $25,000 - $34,999; $35,000 - $44,999; $45,000 - $54,999; $55,000 - $64,999; $65,000 - $74,999; $75,000 or more; Don't know. (Asked in: 2009.)
[Code: 888-TeaTS-16]

What do you think the annual salary actually is in this community for a beginning public school teacher with a bachelor's degree and teaching certificate? [Similar to question 15 above, but with updated salary scale. Compare to differently worded question 16 above.] Under $25,000; $25,000 - $34,999; $35,000 - $44,999; $45,000 - $54,999; $55,000 - $64,999; $65,000 - $74,999; $75,000 or more; Don't know. (Asked in: 2009.)
[Code: 889-TeaTS-17]
2009
National Totals
Salary Categories
Think Salary Should Be Paid
%
Think Salary Is
%
Under $25,000
3
14
$25,000 - $34,999
19
43
$35,000 - $44,999
38
25
$45,000 - $54,999
24
6
$55,000 - $64,999
7
2
$65,000 - $74,999
2
1
$75,000 or more
2
-
Don't know
5
9

Question 18: Would you favor or oppose raising teacher salaries in the public schools of this community at this time? (Asked in: 1991.)
[Code: 739-TeaTS-18]
National Totals
Year
Favor
%
Oppose
%
Don't Know
%
1991
54
32
14

Teacher Salaries Compared to Those of Other Professions
Question 19: As I mention the name of an occupation or profession, would you please tell me the annual salary you feel people in that occupation should be paid in this community? Medical doctors; Lawyers; Engineers; Pharmacists; Nurses; Public school teachers; Plumbers; Clergy. (Asked in: 1990.)
[Code: 740-TeaTT-19]

1990
National Totals
$50,000 and Over
%
$40,000-
$49,999
%
$30,000-
$39,999
%
$29,999 and Over
%
Don't Know
%
Medical doctors
73
6
3
10
8
Lawyers
66
10
6
8
10
Engineers
53
20
11
6
10
Pharmacists
38
23
18
14
7
Nurses
26
22
26
18
8
Public school teachers
21
21
28
22
8
Plumbers
18
19
30
25
8
Clergy
12
14
26
37
11

Teacher Compensation: Salaries Paid to Teachers
Question 20: Here are some factors that some states are using to determine how much teachers are paid. As I read off each of these factors, would you tell me now important you think that factor should be in determining how much the teachers in the local public schools should be paid? Is it very important, somewhat important, not very important, or not important at all.
(Asked in: 2007.)
[Code: 854-TeaTS-20]

 
2007 National Totals
Year
Very
Important
%
Somewhat
Important
%
Not Very
Important
% 		Not at All
Important
%
Don't Know
%
The number of college credits or degrees a teacher has earned
44
43
 10 2
1
The performance of the teacher’s students on state test
37
44
 15 3
1
The teacher’s seniority, i.e., how long the teacher has been teaching 30 43 18 8 1
How difficult it is to find a teacher in a particular subject area 44 47 6 2 1
How difficult it is to get a teacher to work in a particular public school 43 46 8 1 2

Teacher Evaluation
Question 21: In your mind, what do you think should be the primary purpose for evaluating teachers: helping them improve their ability to teach, establishing their salaries based upon their skills, or documenting ineffectiveness that could lead to dismissal?
(Asked in: 2010.)
[Code: 894-TeaTS-21]

 
2010
National
Totals
%
Helping them improve their ability to teach
60
Documenting ineffectiveness that could lead to dismissal
26
Establishing their salaries based upon their skills
13
Don't know
1

As asked in 2014:

 
National totals
How important is: Helping teachers improve their ability to teach?
 
 
Year
Very
important
%
Somewhat
important
%
Not very
important
%
Not at all
important
%
Don't know/
refused
%
2014
77
21
1
1
-
How important is: Using teacher performance to determine salaries or bonuses?
 
 
Year
Very
important
%
Somewhat
important
%
Not very
important
%
Not at all
important
%
Don't know/
refused
%
2014
46
36
13
5
-
How important is: Documenting ineffectiveness that could lead to a teacher's dismissal?
 
 
Year
Very
important
%
Somewhat
important
%
Not very
important
%
Not at all
important
%
Don't know/
refused
%
2014
65
29
5
1
1

Question 22: Some states require that teacher evaluations include how well a teacher's students perform on standardized tests. Do you favor or oppose this requirement? (Asked in: 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015.)
[Code: 936-TeaTX-22]

 
National Totals
Year
Favor
%
Oppose
%
Don't know/
refused
%
2015
43
55
2
2014
38
61
1
2013
41
58
1
2012
52
47
1

Question 23: In your opinion, what percentage of a teacher's evaluation should be based on how well his or her students perform on standardized tests -- less than one-third, between one-third and two-thirds, or more than two-thirds? (Asked in: 2012.)
[Code: 937-TeaTX-23]

 
National Totals
Adults favoring including
student test scores in
teacher evaluations
Year
Less than
one-third
%
More than
one-third
%
More than
two-thirds
%
Don't know/
refused
%
Less than
one-third
%
More than
one-third
%
More than
two-thirds
%
Don't know/
refused
%
2012
35
40
23
2
14
48
35
1

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Last modified June 1, 2016
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