The Distribution of Salary Increments and Its Effect on Teacher Retention

Using personnel files provided by the State Education Department of New York, I examined and compared teacher retention rates from 1974 through 1984 in school districts that used alternative practices of internal salary distribution. A total of 57 school districts from two regions of the state were included in the study. I categorized them on the basis of changes from 1974 to 1984 in the relative attractiveness of salaries offered entry-level, midcareer, and senior teachers. Although the data revealed positive correlations between district retention rates and salary improvements in both regions, I also found regional and gender-related differences in teacher labor market behavior.