I had low seniority and the school board had to make cuts based on seniority. The current system frustrates many folks, including good teachers. Many teachers struggle with a lack of materials and supplies, along with youngsters who don't speak English or who bring other complex problems with them. Too many critical decisions are made far from the classroom. But some schools do produce major growth for students.
Teachers can, and in many cases do, make an enormous difference for students.
In most school systems there are few, if any, incentives for the most effective teachers to work with the most challenging students. Some successful charter schools are using the budget and personnel flexibility they've been given to have a longer school year, with higher salaries for teachers. They know the value of more time with students and better pay for teachers. They have the power to do both. The current system of paying teachers does not reward excellence for individual teachers, or progress for students in a school.