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Why merit pay is controversial among teachers

For decades, many teachers have pushed back on the idea of performance pay, saying it unfairly pits teachers against one another. But two new studies from South Carolina and Texas found that offering merit pay for teachers can benefit students.

Matt Barnum, an editor and columnist with Chalkbeat, joins us to discuss why merit pay is so controversial among teachers.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

Copyright 2026 WBUR

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