Teacher Salaries

I was asked about teacher salaries.  The question came from a friend who was very respectful in her asking. Here is my long winded answer.

http://www.educationworld.net/salaries_us.html - “Average beginning teacher salaries:

Alaska had the highest average beginning salary in 2002-03, at $37,401. States joining Alaska in the top tier were New Jersey, at $35,673; District of Columbia, at $35,260; New York, at $35,259; and California, at $34,805.”

Teacher pay appears to vary greatly depending on where one teaches - ie: cost of living. I want to focus on just Oregon. In 2009, Oregon ranked 25 in national average teacher pay, with an average pay of $48,720.  Keeping in mind average combines all beginning, middle, and veteran teachers.  Not only is compensation dependent upon state, it depends on the district one works for.

For example:

Portland Public Schools starting Salaries:

BA/BS $35,886

MA/MS $42,794

Salem/Keizer Schools starting Salaries:

BA/BS, $34,709

MA/MS, $40,275

Teachers make 14 percent less than professionals in other occupations that require similar levels of education. This is maddening to me on a variety of levels. Mainly, it is the fact that I have a considerable amount of student loan debt, about $70,000 - that will take about 20+ years to pay off at the rate I am making.  It goes without saying, that I am paying a hell of a lot to be in a job that educates our nations children (read: influence and inspire the future).

“The rate in which teachers are paid, prices teachers out of home ownership in 32 metropolitan areas, and makes raising a family on one salary near impossible.”

Nationwide, 46% of teachers quit before their fifth year. I was ready to quit after 2.  In fact, I put in a leave-of-absence to consider my options. I decided to change schools, and position type.  I have done that again.  And if this year does not prove to be worth more, I will once again be considering a career change.

What this all comes down to is the fact that in my experience, teachers put in about 10+ hours daily in the classroom.  That is not accounting for all the time they spend at home working on their jobs, or the time that is spent during the summer prepping the room for the next year (I put in about 25 hours) - this is all UNPAID time.  Teachers are paid salary to work 39.5 hours a week at about the rate of, say, $30/hour before taxes.  When one considers that a teacher actually works about 50 hours/week - that comes out to be about $24/hour before taxes. And THEN, when one considers that most teachers have to buy snacks, materials, equipment, summer break hours… well, you get the idea. My point is, that the level of education, continual license renewal courses (graduate level required), compensation is very low… but lord knows, I didn’t become a teacher thinking that I was going to get rich…

Is the idea that I should be able to pay off my student debt in a reasonable amount of time a crazy one? Or is the thought that maybe our culture needs a values check - a nation that spends more dollars on military spending compared to what it spends on its citizens is devastatingly shameful. 

I just think that teacher should be respected more, paid more, and listened to more.

And, if all else fails watch this: