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As a teacher, I have to admit I kind of see the point the OP is making. This article does highlight some pretty high salaries compared the cost of living for that area. I went to a university in western PA, but I've been teaching for 17 years in a public school system in northern VA. We are located in suburban Washington D.C. where the cost of living and average income is one of the highest in the U.S. I just spoke with a girl I went to college with who teaches in a suburb of Pittsburgh. After 14 years she is making, with a BS degree, just under what I am making with 17 years and a MA. Her salary is 65k, but she said the average house where they are sells for between $225k and 250k. I'm at $72k. Her husband, also a teacher, has more years but is making 104k. With 20+ years and a PhD we top at $92k. Their health care is almost completely covered by the school board. We are paying a couple hundred a month. After 17 years, my wife and I were finally able to afford to buy a pretty avg. 1960's split level with a carport near where we work for $428k, which we then put about $35k more into it to update it.
So, in a nutshell, be honest. When taking into consideration the COL for the Pittsburgh area, the article highlights some very generous salaries. The OP has to realize though, that the area he is in is not typical of the rest of the country.
Teacher salaries in the Pittsburgh area vary considerably. The wealthy districts to the North pay considerably more than others do. The competition to get a job there is very high. They are a wealthy district and pay to get the best and to retain the best. Other districts that are poor pay much less. That is the crux of the problem. Those districts willing to pay and support a top flight education program have and will continue to get the best graduates and experienced teachers. Other districts won't. So either move away if you think your neighbors are to generous or move to if you want to seek excellent schools for your kids. Northern Virginia has a serious problem. Yes it is wealthy and willing to fund education but population shifts are creating a two tiered population in some pockets and counties. The wealthy are being forced to take on a dual burden of providing top education for their kids and remedial education for their changing population. That requires decisions and priorities that someone will really not like.
There is no occupation that excists where there are not people wth a axe to gring ready to grind it. Find other forums where there are bankrs, car mechanics, financiers, znything, etc, and you will find curmudgeons who don't want to listen, and just want to bash.
As a teacher, I have to admit I kind of see the point the OP is making. This article does highlight some pretty high salaries compared the cost of living for that area. I went to a university in western PA, but I've been teaching for 17 years in a public school system in northern VA. We are located in suburban Washington D.C. where the cost of living and average income is one of the highest in the U.S. I just spoke with a girl I went to college with who teaches in a suburb of Pittsburgh. After 14 years she is making, with a BS degree, just under what I am making with 17 years and a MA. Her salary is 65k, but she said the average house where they are sells for between $225k and 250k. I'm at $72k. Her husband, also a teacher, has more years but is making 104k. With 20+ years and a PhD we top at $92k. Their health care is almost completely covered by the school board. We are paying a couple hundred a month. After 17 years, my wife and I were finally able to afford to buy a pretty avg. 1960's split level with a carport near where we work for $428k, which we then put about $35k more into it to update it.
So, in a nutshell, be honest. When taking into consideration the COL for the Pittsburgh area, the article highlights some very generous salaries. The OP has to realize though, that the area he is in is not typical of the rest of the country.
Take in to account what someone in the private sector with a doctorate and 20+ years of experience would make. A hell of a lot more than $100K.
One point people are missing here is that its not just someone else money, all this is being paid by the taxpayer living in that district. And, the taxes despite the sagging economy are going up along with their salaries. Schools, in order to meet their contract obligations, have to layoff teachers, and cut programs. It makes the school look bad and perform bad. Schools are caught between the teacher union, which will strike at the drop of a hat, and meeting the obligations of the students, which are on the losing end. Unless you are in a wealthy school district where money and a large tax base are not a issue, you have to accept a substandard education. Poor communities, or districts can not afford to deal with these selfish teacher unions, who are only hurting the children. I dont want to have to pay higher taxes to something that is slowly dying. But often that is the case.
Take in to account what someone in the private sector with a doctorate and 20+ years of experience would make. A hell of a lot more than $100K.
In what field? Not IT. My husband has a PhD in physics and 30 years exper. and he barely makes six figures in an area with a higher COL than Pittsburgh.
The pay in catholic and private schools, at least in our parochial schools, is even lower than that for public school teachers.
But, the benefit in teaching in some private and parochial schools is that you have fewer behavior problems IN the classroom than you do in many public schools. They can boot kids out left and right. In my child's parochial school, if a child talks out of turn they sit in the hall...on the cold, hard floor in their uniform..as a result the classrooms are under control. The kids are still BAD, but their drinking, racist remarks, etc. tend to be at Friday night football games and outside of school in their homes!.
Lowest paid? Homeschooling parents!
Bottom line: It all depends on your point of view.
Is there really very much, if any, correlation between property taxes and teacher salaries? The average salary of a teacher in Clear Creek ISD (Texas) is $44K. My school taxes were $1600/year. In Woodland Hills (PA) the average salary of a teacher is $56K. My school taxes are $1500/year.
One point people are missing here is that its not just someone else money, all this is being paid by the taxpayer living in that district. And, the taxes despite the sagging economy are going up along with their salaries. Schools, in order to meet their contract obligations, have to layoff teachers, and cut programs. It makes the school look bad and perform bad. Schools are caught between the teacher union, which will strike at the drop of a hat, and meeting the obligations of the students, which are on the losing end. Unless you are in a wealthy school district where money and a large tax base are not a issue, you have to accept a substandard education. Poor communities, or districts can not afford to deal with these selfish teacher unions, who are only hurting the children. I dont want to have to pay higher taxes to something that is slowly dying. But often that is the case.
Look, its not like when the economy was booming people were out there demanding teachers get the double digit bonuses their educational equivalents in private industry were getting.
Everyone is willing to let teachers take the slow but steady pace when the economy is booming but when its busting suddenly teachers are overpaid.
One point people are missing here is that its not just someone else money, all this is being paid by the taxpayer living in that district. And, the taxes despite the sagging economy are going up along with their salaries. Schools, in order to meet their contract obligations, have to layoff teachers, and cut programs. It makes the school look bad and perform bad. Schools are caught between the teacher union, which will strike at the drop of a hat, and meeting the obligations of the students, which are on the losing end. Unless you are in a wealthy school district where money and a large tax base are not a issue, you have to accept a substandard education. Poor communities, or districts can not afford to deal with these selfish teacher unions, who are only hurting the children. I dont want to have to pay higher taxes to something that is slowly dying. But often that is the case.
Poor communities may have failing schools but affluent communities usually have schools that are performing above to well above average. They are willing to pay to keep it that way and skilled teachers are willing to work there to secure their working careers and retirement benefits. That is like anything else in life. The more affluent can buy the best of what is available. It is not always a union thing. Many affluent districts are more than willing to compensate public employees more not just teachers.
Is there really very much, if any, correlation between property taxes and teacher salaries? The average salary of a teacher in Clear Creek ISD (Texas) is $44K. My school taxes were $1600/year. In Woodland Hills (PA) the average salary of a teacher is $56K. My school taxes are $1500/year.
Need more information than that just to begin with. You are talking about you. what is the average property tax in Clear Creek compared to Woodland Hills and how much difference is there in state funding? What percentage of the local budget is allocated to education in each district and are there differences in construction costs? Transportation costs? etc etc etc
Woodland Hills doesn't seem to be very high performing Woodland Hills School District - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
n 2007, the average teacher salary in the district was $55,919 for 180 days worked. The average salary for Pennsylvania's 124,100 teachers is $54.977 in 2007. [21] As of 2007, Pennsylvania ranked in the top 10 states in average teacher salaries. When adjusted for cost of living Pennsylvania ranked fourth in the nation for teacher compensation.[22] Additionally, the teachers receive a defined benefit pension, health insurance, professional development reimbursement, paid personal days, paid sick days, a retirement bonus and other benefits.[23]
The district administrative costs per pupil were $872.80 in 2008. The district ranked 120th of Pennsylvania's 500 school districts for administrative costs. The lowest administrative cost per pupil in Pennsylvania was $398 per pupil. [24] In June 2008, the school board hired Walter M. Calinger, age 68, as superintendent for 3 years with a beginning salary of $135,000. [25] The Pennsylvania School Boards Association keeps statistics on salaries of public school district employees in Pennsylvania. According to the association, the average salary for a superintendent for the 2007-08 school year was $122,165.[26] Superintendents and administrators receive a benefit package commensurate with that offered to the district's teachers' union.[27]
Woodland Hills spends $8,268 per student [28] $2,210 over the national average of $6,058/student.[29] In 2006, the district reported paying a total of $3,486,079 to 18 charter schools and cyber charter schools for district resident students who have opted to attend these alternative schools. The state reimbursed the district $964,034.
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Pay and Behavior Problems
