As K-12 budgets tighten and federal funding shifts, state and district leaders are grappling with how to make strategic investments that drive student success. Staffing is consistently the largest line item in a school system’s budget—and rightly so, as the evidence is clear that teachers are the single most important in-school factor on student achievement and outcomes. How can we build and retain an effective, diverse educator workforce so that both students and teachers can access economic and social mobility in their lives and careers?
In our recent webinar, Beyond the Paycheck, TNTP hosted a timely and hopeful conversation among K-12 state, district, and advocacy leaders on budget challenges and solutions for reimagining education. Recruiting and retaining our best K-12 educators is essential to thriving education ecosystems and to student outcomes. When educators thrive, they can deliver on students’ potential and prepare them for a dynamic world and workforce.
Facilitated by TNTP policy experts Nithya Joseph and Dr. Stefany Breton, the webinar featured a distinguished panel, including:
- Lin Johnson III, Chief Strategy, Growth, and Finance Officer, TNTP
- Kelvey Oeser, Deputy Commissioner of Educator and System Support, Texas Education Agency (TEA)
- Romaneir Johnson, Chief Financial Officer, Broward County Public Schools
- Qubilah Huddleston, Equitable School Funding Lead, The Education Trust
Our panelists shared their experiences navigating tough decisions, creating sustainable and scalable funding models, and aligning spending with what students need most. “We’re changing how we’re thinking about teaching,” said Romaneir Johnson, CFO of Broward County Public Schools.
With hope for innovation in the field and a laser focus on student learning, these leaders shed light on scalable systems that cultivate an effective, sustainable educator workforce. Kelvey Oeser described the Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) in Texas and strategies for spreading the impact of the best teachers. TIA is an embedded funding model supporting teacher preparation and retention that started out serving 33 districts in 2019 and now serves approximately 800 districts across the state of Texas.
The panel discussed the need for compensation strategies that go beyond salary and nimble yet sustainable budgets that can meet unpredictable conditions. “Your budget is actually a collection of priorities and decisions being made,” says TNTP’s Lin Johnson III. “It reflects your values, so you want to make sure that your strategic plan and your long-term financial view are aligned.”
With our Educator Pipeline Data Analyses, TNTP can support leaders pinpoint where staffing recruitment and retention challenges exist and provide policy and practice solutions. TNTP’s Strategic Financial Services include guidance for ROI analysis and a scenario-based budgeting toolkit for proactive contingency planning. These offerings help districts navigate funding volatility, protect equity, and build long-term financial resilience. Leaders must go beyond “finding the dollars” to investing in what matters and what works for both students and their educators.
Watch the full recording to learn about actionable solutions to attract and retain top teaching talent, even in times of uncertainty and volatility.
TNTP’s next workforce-focused webinar will be on September 24 at 12:30 pm ET: Teaching for Tomorrow: Innovative Workforce Solutions That Transform Student Experiences. Sign up here to receive reminders about future webinars hosted by TNTP.
