Washington D.C. Teachers Paid Up to $135,000?

Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee is Confident Teacher Salary is Possible

Mar 4, 2009 Barbara Pytel

It is a fact of life that teachers are underpaid. Those entering the field of education do not plan on ever being wealthy.

Teachers have long gotten the short end of the stick when it comes to financial compensation. When teaching is compared to other professionals with the same college degree requirement, teachers are usually close to the bottom of the pay scale. So, how is it possible that teachers in Washington D.C. could place so high on the salary schedule in the near future?

Washington D.C. Teachers’ Union Has Concerns

While the teacher’s union wants to believe this is possible, the union has concerns that this goal will not be possible in today’s financial climate. "What we want is funding that is sustainable," said WTU (Washington Teacher's Union) President George Parker. [1]

Rhee has hired a private consulting firm that has tested the viability of her proposal. Rhee says, "After a five-year period we will be able to sustain this with city dollars." [1] Rhee has $200 million in commitments from private donors to improve teacher salaries for top teachers. $100 million will go for actual teacher salaries and another $100 million is earmarked for professional development.

While Rhee hesitates in naming the private donors, The Washington Post has reported that several individuals quite likely to be contributors are:

• Bill and Melinda Gates
• Eli Broad
• Michael and Susan Dell

While Rhee wanted the donors held in confidence, some have admitted to committing to Washington D.C. schools.

D.C. Teachers Offered Two Pay Scale Choices

Rhee has plans to offer her teachers two options for a salary schedule. If teachers choose to be members of the union, they receive a significant raise. However, if they would like to earn even more income, they would reject being members of the union, give up tenure, and be on a higher performance-based salary schedule. Teachers that want security have the option of taking the lower salary schedule. Teachers that are confident in their ability to teach on a high level may choose the higher salary schedule possibly up to $135,000.

Walton Family Foundation Donates to Washington D.C. Schools

The late Sam Walton, Founder of Wal-Mart, was an investor in nonunion charter schools. He created The Walton Family Foundation in 1987 to assist in non-traditional schools. Many criticize Walton for abandoning public schools and supporting private schools. The Walton Family Foundation maintains that it donates to schools fairly.

American Federation of Teachers

The Washington Teachers’ Union is the union for the Washington D.C. teachers. President Randi Weingarten states, "The District of Columbia government would remain obligated to provide funding to uphold the collective bargaining agreement in the event the private funds became unavailable." [1] Rhee is making a bold statement promising the funds will be there after five years.

Rhee stands firm that this is possible. She plans to achieve this goal of high teacher salaries by relocating central offices, closing schools and consolidations. Rhee is being watched by many educators. Will her "out of the box" initiative succeed or fail?

[1] Turque,Bill. "Rhee Says Consultant’s Report Shows Pay Plan Is Sustainable," The Washington Post, March 2, 2009.

The copyright of the article Washington D.C. Teachers Paid Up to $135,000? in Educational Issues is owned by Barbara Pytel. Permission to republish Washington D.C. Teachers Paid Up to $135,000? in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Washington D.C. Teachers May Receive Highest Pay

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Mar 6, 2009 11:57 AM

Guest :

This is a very interesting experiment for Rhee. I remember some jealousy when I was teaching in my former school. I came early and stayed late. One day a group of teachers came to my office to tell me to leave because I was making them look bad by working long hours. They also stated that by me working harder, I would raise expectations for them. Rhee has taken care of that. If you want to work harder, you may do so and you will be paid more for your efforts. While some schools are fortunate to have hard-working teachers, many schools have hard-working teachers and others that are along for the ride. There is no reward for working harder and longer than others. Let's keep an eye on Washington D.C. and see how this turns out!

Mar 9, 2009 8:38 AM

Guest :

There is a private school in New York that is also paying teachers a similar salary. We will be watching!

Mar 17, 2009 9:09 AM

Guest :

Makes my $38,000 in a high risk school look sad.

Mar 31, 2009 12:22 PM

Guest :

The side effect of this could be that Washington DC will have highly qualified candidates for teaching positions and other states will have to compete by offering higher salaries, too.

4 Comments