Teacher Support for Career Enhancement Initiatives: Program Characteristics and Effects on Work

Abstract

This article examines the critical issue of teacher support for career enhancement initiatives, focusing specifically on merit pay and career ladder programs. It presents the findings of an empirical study that examines the relationships between program characteristics and effects on work variables and teacher support of and opposition to these programs. The findings reveal that teacher support of and opposition to both programs is strongly associated with perceived effects on different dimensions of work. Of particular importance are effects on professional working relationships with other teachers. These findings underscore incongruities and tensions between merit pay and career ladder programs and beliefs and practices that characterize and govern teachers’ work. Implications for the continued development of merit pay, career ladder, and other teacher career enhancement initiatives are explored.