It should be based on experience and skill. The perfect teacher could be teaching 1st graders, and any crappy one can teach 12th grade.

This sounds like your previous question.... But, I think their salary should be based on their success rate at teaching as well as their education level.

not really. But i dont bleive in the concept of money. The best teacher i have ever had was my first grade teacher. the only teacher who tryied to get me to pass...and helped when things started suking at home. the worst teacher i have had so far...would have to be my 10th year bio teacher. I couldnt pass that class if i tried...not that i am. She lectures in a horrible way, doesnt knwo what she is talking about, and hates anyone who doesnt look like the "perfect" happy kind successful student...

I think that a teachers salary should be based on three things: their level of education, their experience, and how good a teacher they are. Being smart & well educated don't mean a thing if they can't get their ideas across to the kids. Elementary school teachers are very important, because what they teach the kids reflects on the rest of those hids lives. If a child doesn't get a good start in reading, math, etc. the later years are just wasted. Also a good elemetary school teacher can instill a thirst for knowledge that the child will have all his life.

Neither, with this minor exception - teacher's should apprentice under a qualified teacher for one to two years at a reduced salary. Salaries of teachers, just like all workers, should be based on quality and results. As to grade level, all levels of instruction are equally important in the child's educational development. If one has confidence in the subject matter one is teaching and has the appropriate relational skills, one can teach with or without advanced degrees or additional time on the job (over and above the apprenticeship mentioned above). Basically, if they don't have the grade and/or course appropriate knowledge skills, they shouldn't be hired to begin with. In my opinion, although perhaps on the surface a bit complicated, here's a better way to compensate teachers. At the beginning of the school year, all teacher's (except apprentice's) receive the same base pay. A Teacher's class instruction would be randomly videotaped 3 times a year. The tapes should be reviewed by a panel of individuals who do not know the teacher. The review should have a very specific methodology that includes test scoring of the students. The panel should include a teacher from the same grade level from another district that has performed at an exceptional level, a local University Education Department Professor, and a volunteer parent. Each individual would rate each tape for a total of 9 ratings. The average of the 9 ratings is the teacher's "grade". There is a healthy bonus for "exceptional", a small bonus for "very good", no bonus for "acceptable", and job loss or demotion to apprentice for one year for "less than acceptable".