Observations
1. In the clear majority of public school districts (K-12) throughout the United States, all teachers are REQUIRED to teach the authorized curriculum established by individual school districts.
2. No matter how much education (degrees, credit or semester hours) a teacher acquires, they are NOT permitted to deviate from the authorized curriculum. Teachers are subject to disciplinary action, including termination, if they elect to teach curriculum that is NOT authorized by their school district.
3. However, in the clear majority of public school districts, teachers are compensated through salary schedules that reward teachers based on (a) the kind of educational degree (BA, MA, Ph.d, etc.) they hold, including the total number of semester hours (i.e., BA+15, BA +30, MA +15, MA +30, etc.), they have acquired; and (b) their number of years of teaching experience. How well or poorly a teacher performs is NOT a routine consideration for advancement of teacher pay. This is demonstrated by the fact that not all teachers receive annual performance reviews. Plus, even in public school districts under a pay-for-performance (PFP) system, compensation begins by first placing teachers at "fixed steps" on similarly designed salary schedules.
4. As established by number 2 above, after obtaining a formal degree in the appropriate educational subject matter, and having obtained a teaching license/certificate (with all appropriate endorsements) issued by individual states or other regulating bodies, any additional education acquired may have personal value to individual teachers, but this additional education (newly acquired knowledge, materials, equipment, books, teaching methods, etc.) can NOT be used to modify the established curriculum - even if it is better. Again, teachers cannot deviate from the established curriculum. Therefore...
