The effect of various teacher salary levels on student academic achievement

Dara Talibah, Tennessee State University

Abstract

The purpose of this proposed investigation was to determine whether there exists a statistically significant difference, at the .05 level or better, between the various teacher salary levels and 1st time 9 th grade TCAP test takers in the state of Tennessee. Requisite data were obtained from the Tennessee Department of Education on teacher salaries and 9th grade students' math and language arts TCAP scores. At the outset, research questions and companion null hypotheses were developed and posited. All of the null hypotheses that were posited at the outset of this investigation were sustained. These findings indicate that: There are no statistically significant differences in 9th grade student performance on the TCAP based upon high, medium, and low teacher salary levels of teachers within the district; students in more multicultural circumstances tended to perform on a par with their counterpart from more homogeneous predominantly white districts. There was no statistically significant difference in student scores, at the .05 level or better, related to higher levels of free or reduced lunches for this study target group. Against the fact that the geographical setting, whether students resided in an urban or rural setting had no effect upon how they performed on the TCAP examination. (1) There is limited research literature on the effects of different teacher salary levels on student graduation achievement scores for pupils from across the state. (2) The urban versus rural location of students in this study had nothing to do with passing rates on the TCAP. (3) The need to equalize teacher salaries, across the state, as a means of improving student performance was not supported by study findings. There were no significant differences noted in student TCAP performance based upon different teacher salary levels.

Subject Area

School administration|School finance

Recommended Citation

Dara Talibah, "The effect of various teacher salary levels on student academic achievement" (2001). ETD Collection for Tennessee State University. Paper AAI3024634.
https://digitalscholarship.tnstate.edu/dissertations/AAI3024634

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