Teacher Salaries Cut By Inflation
In 2007 Salaries For Teachers Did Not Keep Up With Inflation
Inflation was 3.9 percent in 2007. Teacher salaries increased by 2.9 percent on average. If this trend continues, teachers will be receiving pay cuts each year.
NEA Estimates
Education has received much attention in the past few years with No Child Left Behind. Perhaps a new concern is surfacing: No Teacher Left? The NEA, National Education Association, is concerned that teacher salaries in the United States are not keeping up with the rate of inflation.
NEA President Reg Weaver states, "Low teacher pay comes at a very high cost. How can we expect educators to be focused, committed and at their best on a daily basis when they are fearful of the consequences of not earning enough to support their families? Each year we lose excellent teachers because they can’t afford to make ends meet. Low teacher pay shortchanges the teaching profession, and students end up paying the price." [Brenda Alvarez, National Education Association, nea.org/newsreleases/2007, December 10, 2007]
Average Teacher Salaries
The national average public school teacher salary for 2005-06 was $49,026. This is average and not beginning salaries. How do some states fare?
- South Dakota--$34,709
- North Dakota--$37,764
- West Virginia--$38,284
- District of Columbia--$59,000
- Connecticut--$59,304
- California--$59,825
Per Student Funding
While there is much discussion about meeting the needs of each student, mostly on the part of the teachers, NEA estimates show that many schools fall short in meeting student financial needs by 25%. How much do states spend per child for education? The following are some lows and highs:
- Utah--$5,347
- Arizona--$5,585
- Nevada--$6,755
- Oklahoma--$6,944
- Tennessee --$6,979
- Connecticut--$12,436
- Vermont--$12,475
- Massachusetts--$12,596
- New York--$13,551
- New Jersey--$13,551
Gender Diversity Among Teachers
Is the field of education attractive to males? The evidence seems to show that is not the case. Only 24.4% of the teaching profession are male in 2006. Which states have the highest percentages of males teaching?
- Kansas—33.3%
- Oregon—31.4%
- Alaska—30.9%
- Indiana—30.5%
Which states have the lowest percentages of males teaching?
- Arkansas—17.5%
- Mississippi—17.7%
- Louisiana—17.8%
- South Carolina—17.9%
- Virginia—18.8%
- Georgia—19.3%
[Brenda Alvarez, National Education Association, nea.org/newsreleases/2007, December 10, 2007]
Student Needs
Research has shown that boys benefit from male teachers and single-sex classrooms raise scores for both males and females. Where are the male teachers to benefit the male students? How will this affect the dropout rates that are already at 50% in some schools? South Carolina has recently set a goal to offer same-gender classes to all middle school students in South Carolina in the next few years. Where will they find the male instructors to fill the slots unless salaries are raised significantly?
While throwing money at problems isn’t the solution, in this case better salaries would attract more males and quality individuals to teaching. As long as college students are not attracted to the salaries in education, very few will enter. Other careers appear to be more lucrative and create less stress.
For the full NEA report, visit Ranking and Estimates.
Related articles: NEA Dropout Plan, Teachers Are Quitting
Read previous articles on Educational Issues.
Copyright article 2008 Barbara Pytel. All Rights Reserved.
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