Rethinking Teacher Compensation: The Master's Degree Premium

ERS president and managing partner Jonathan Travers joins Mike Petrilli on The Education Gadfly Show to talk about school district budgeting during uncertain times.

Then, on the Research Minute, Adam Tyner shares a new report from the National Council on Teacher Quality looking at district policies on pay bumps for teachers with master’s degrees, and how the money could be better spent.

Recommended content:

• The degree dilemma: School districts spend millions on ineffective master’s degree premiums —Katherine Bowser, National Council on Teacher Quality (August 2025)Close bad schools and expand good ones —Chad Aldeman
• When—and why—legislated school finance reforms don’t increase state education spending —Amber Northern and Jeff Murray
• An in-depth look at how Texas makes teacher merit pay work —Jessica Poiner
• The ESSER hangover is here —Marguerite Roza

Feedback Welcome: Have ideas for our show? Send them to thegadfly@fordhaminstitute.org