The following post was published by the Economic Policy Institute, which is pro-worker, pro-union, and not funded by free-market billionaires.
As we near the end of #TeacherAppreciationWeek, it is worth remembering that one of the ways we can show our appreciation for teachers is to pay them a living salary.
EPI has been tracking trends in teacher pay for over a decade and a half. Our most recent report finds that, on average, teachers earn nearly 20 percent less than similar workers in other occupations. The size of the gap also varies across by state and can be as large as 32.7% less than other comparable college-educated workers.
Teachers typically have better benefits packages, but even after adjusting for the value of these benefits, the average compensation gap remains 10.2%.
Take a look at EPI’s map that measures the pay gap between teachers and similar workers in each state2 and then share it with family and friends.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
“Plunging home prices and massive job losses are often mentioned in discussions of the Great Recession, but the effects of the recession stretched far beyond the housing and job markets.
Public schools were hit hard as well.
A paper in the American Economic Journal: Economic Policy examines the impacts of state spending cuts on the educational outcomes for students in K–12 public schools. Authors C. Kirabo Jackson, Cora Wigger, and Heyu Xiong found lasting ill-effects on test scores and college enrollment, particularly in states where schools rely more heavily on state aid”
Interesting that no one in ed reform opposed these cuts, and many ed reformers promoted them, because the cuts were made by their ideological allies, GOP governors.
They’re advocates for students UNLESS doing that gets in the way of the “choice” agenda- then public school students go right under the bus.
The legacy of ed reform from 2010 to 2020 is budget cuts that harmed public school students. That’s what they accomplished in that decade.
Once again the charter/voucher agenda trumped any interest in or advocacy for students who attend public schools. They were sacrificed in the interest of privatizing schools.
Public school students need their own advocates. Charters and vouchers have ed reformers. Public school students deserve advocates too. They didn’t get them from 2010 to 2020 and they were harmed.
https://www.aeaweb.org/research/charts/state-education-spending-recession-impact
Ed reformers shouldn’t object to this. It’s only fair that if we have a huge full time lobby for charters and voucher students in the “ed reform movement” there should also be a lobby for public school students.
They’re not getting anything done for students in public schools.
YES! YES! YES! Teachers deserve so much more
Joe Biden is already the best public education President in 30 years and all he did was fund schools, subsidize lower income families and address child hunger.
He doesn’t have to do another thing and he’ll retain the title, just because the competition is so incredibly weak.
Imagine if we had been plowing money into the households of lower income children for the last 30 years instead of crafting elaborate teacher measurement schemes, privatizing schools and paying consultants. I bet the scores would have gone up.
If we want to retain quality teachers, we need to make the profession more attractive to them. Some red states are actively undermining public schools and teachers. Florida, which has both a right wing governor and legislature is actively trying to destroy public schools and the teaching profession. In addition to low pay and minimal capped benefits, the latest denigration of teaching in the state will be the elimination of the defined pension. “Senate Bill 84 would block new teachers from the state pension program, instead enrolling them in a 401(k). Those opposed worry that could affect the funds of teachers who have already retired.” Police officers are excluded from this pension revision for state employees. Sexism? https://www.baynews9.com/fl/tampa/news/2021/04/29/florida-teachers-worry-legislation-could-shrink-their-retirement
Retired Teacher,
Do you believe that future earnings have a significant impact on the number and quality of students who choose to become education majors?
I should add that defined contribution programs are the standard in post secondary education and folks are pretty happy about it. The key is to make sure that the institution’s contribution is large enough.
Try not to raid too many pensions, “economists”. When you work on a teacher’s salary, a secure retirement is pivotal. Risky gambling with one’s future is for Dogecoin investors. My retirement should not be a bet.
leftcoast,
As a carrier adjunct faculty member, the security of my retirement depends on my being able to go from one university to the next without worrying about vesting requirements. I was grateful that I was not subject to the wage theft that is endemic in the “defined benefit” systems that require many decades of service before being paid the benefits that are earned in very first years.
Bully for you, rolling stone.
Wage theft? What the heck!
Leftcoast,
Districts hire promising retirement benefits to teachers that they know will never vest. It is a bait and switch policy. It is how they exploit teachers.
Not true, TE. My partner became a teacher an eventually a principal. She retired after 35 years with an excellent pension and health benefits.
Nobody enters teaching for the money. However, teachers should be able to earn a living wage and plan for a dignified retirement. It does influence decisions. My suburban NYC district attracted a number of teachers that left the city as well as those from out of state. Their main reason for the change was the salary.
Leftcoast,
If you think that folks are not gambling with teacher retirement funds you should read this from today’s NYT: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/11/business/dealbook/psers-pennsylvania-fund-fbi.html
The FBI is investigating a pension fund. That is because there are laws.
Defined pensions are safe.
That’s enough. I am too busy to argue with someone who thinks Norway has more money than the U.S. based on decades old information. (That’s right, I remember.)
Thanks for this….I totally agree. Hope you’re getting better every day! Cali
Sent from my iPad
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There is a way to to significantly increase Title 1 teacher pay without any cost to local districts while providing incentive to teach and remain in those high needs districts.
Year #1: $5,000 federal tax credit (de-facto signing bonus to be repaid if they leave)
Year #2: $3,000 federal tax credit
Year #3 $4,000 federal tax credit
Year #4 until departure: Title 1 teacher works Tax Free! (No federal taxes)