Friday, March 16, 2018

The Fight Over Teacher Salaries: A Look At The Numbers - NPR

The teachers strike in West Virginia may have ended last week when Gov. Jim Justice signed a law giving educators a 5 percent pay increase, but the fight in other states is just warming up.

The teachers strike in West Virginia may have ended last week when Gov. Jim Justice signed a law giving educators a 5 percent pay increase, but the fight in other states is just warming up.

"It's gotten so bad that the state Department of Education has had to issue emergency teacher certifications to replace teachers as quickly as possible," reported Emily Wendler of member station KOSU in July. "Across the state, textbooks are out-of-date, electives have been eliminated and support positions are being terminated left and right."

"Sure, life can be done on $400, $450 a month, but I would challenge others out there to buy diapers, groceries and all the things that you need for a family of three on $400," Sheehan told Wendler. "[Moving] feels good because I know I'm doing the right thing for my family, but it also feels sad."

This got us wondering: What do teachers make across the country?

When people (not just teachers and politicians, but reporters, too) talk about average salaries, they often use numbers that haven't been adjusted for regional differences in cost of living. Clearly, the costs of life — from rents and mortgages to movies, food and day care — vary widely, depending on where we live. Without adjusting for that, comparing teachers' salaries in New York to, say, California is classic apples to oranges. - Read More

The Fight Over Teacher Salaries: A Look At The Numbers


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