A new remuneration system for teachers is introduced in the regions that implement complex projects of education modernization. Considered are its core principles, like payment for quality and payfor-performance. The authors investigate the dynamics of salaries from the regional perspective as compared to the subsistence minimum and the average salary. It is shown that the new system changes the social status of teachers and their motivation. It supports leaders and helps introducing competition in education. Moreover, it allows to decrease the learning load for students and the teaching load for teachers, thus insuring the growth of education quality and the attention to students’ health. It facilitates the external evaluation of school performance, helps managers to acquire new managing technology and fosters constructive dialogue with the local community, students’ parents and teacher trade unions.