6 ms·

In my school district[0] teachers start at $43,500 and max out at $63,688 (after 30 years and a PhD) You can pick up some extra stipends if you coach or work i

In my school district[0] teachers start at $43,500 and max out at $63,688 (after 30 years and a PhD) You can pick up some extra stipends if you coach or work in certian departments (STEM) but good luck getting into 6 digits as a Teacher. When I taught in Massachusetts (where we have a teacher union)[1] pay starts at $36,400 and maxes out at $74,000 (with a PhD) after 19 years. Turns out that public school salary information is public information. So if you "know" a teacher that is making 6 digits, I challenge you to look up their pay scale and see if you really know what you think you know. [0] https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B27mc-sxcu8ldW9OTHlLMjZ0SlU/view https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B27mc-sxcu8ldW9OTHlLMjZ0SlU... [1] http://www.pittsfield.net/UserFiles/Servers/Server_1051846/File/Human%20Resources/Contracts/teacher%20k%20(12-15)%20(new%20teacher%20scale)%20(10-22-12)(1).pdf http://www.pittsfield.net/UserFiles/Servers/Server_1051846/F...

twoodfin 11y ago
For the record, I didn't make the "6 digit salaries" claim. I'd be thrilled if world-class (or even top 5-10%) teachers could command those kinds of rates without having to teach in the richest school districts for decades. I'd also note that those are salaries (and similar for others in this discussion) are for 187-day school calendars, or 37.4 weeks/year. Generously applying the same rate to a 46 week/year "full time" calendar puts the top end in Round Rock at over $78,000. The median household income in Round Rock is around $70,000[1], suggesting that it isn't outrageous for a couple of married teachers there to earn well above average, even without summer income. Also, at least in MA, many teachers are not required to pay Social Security tax, but instead pay into a much more generous pension system. Other benefits are also competitive relative to the private sector. Again, though, I'm all for teachers making more money so more talented people are encouraged to teach. But the tenure system is not the way to get that result. [1] http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/48/4863500.html http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/48/4863500.html
- cschneid 11y ago
  ugh, summer argument. First: teachers typically work days not on the student's school calendar, so it's more like 39 or so weeks by your calculation. Second: they work WAY more than an 8 hour day. Last night she did 7am - 4pm in the building, then 2 or so hours at night grading. (and that was a light day since she had gotten her planning done previously this weekend). Third: summer is where you can finally catch up and plan classes. Girlfriend did a major revamp of her AP US History class so she was in-line with the new standards. Last year was Western Civ revamp. Next year will be the standard US History class. You're right, benefits are in-line (not better, just in-line) with corporate america. Mediocre, but existing health care. A pension style retirement plan that's reasonable, but at the mercy of underfunding by politicians (which seems to be expected at this point).
- selimthegrim 11y ago
  http://www.governing.com/columns/public-money/FICA-free-lunch-crowd.html http://www.governing.com/columns/public-money/FICA-free-lunc...
phonon 11y ago
Well, you can easily look up NYC teacher salaries. They start at $50k and go up to $105k. http://schools.nyc.gov/NR/rdonlyres/2712AB02-A1EF-4CE2-B879-33241B7AFFB5/0/TeacherSCHEDULEMAY12015Corrected.pdf http://schools.nyc.gov/NR/rdonlyres/2712AB02-A1EF-4CE2-B879-... When you take into account the shorter work day/work year http://www.uft.org/new-teachers/your-work-day-and-year http://www.uft.org/new-teachers/your-work-day-and-year really good benefits, including a $50-$60k a year pension (http://www.empirecenter.org/publications/pension-calculator/ http://www.empirecenter.org/publications/pension-calculator/) and essentially tenure...well, it's not too bad...
- panzagl 11y ago
  Why shouldn't it be 'not too bad'? For NYC that's the lower end of middle class- comparable to being in a (unionized) trade. And I can guarantee the teachers put up with more shit than a plumber.
  - phonon 11y ago
    I'm pretty sure plumbers deal with more shit. Literally.
- biftek 11y ago
  lol if you think teachers have a "shorter work day/work year" My girlfriend is a High School teacher in NY, and easily works more than I do. You have to factor in planning and grading which is all done after "work".
  - phonon 11y ago
    Well, average actual hours worked in the US is around 1800 (that's net after sick days, vacation, personal days, etc.) https://stats.oecd.org/Index.aspx?DataSetCode=ANHRS https://stats.oecd.org/Index.aspx?DataSetCode=ANHRS Given (in NYC) a school day of 6.33 hours (including lunch) and a school year of 18x days, then subtract personal days and the like...well. Also, most teachers don't need to do as much planning after a few years. Is if fair that longer serving teachers get paid twice as much as new ones, when new ones put in more hours usually? Well...

twoodfin 11y ago

For the record, I didn't make the "6 digit salaries" claim. I'd be thrilled if world-class (or even top 5-10%) teachers could command those kinds of rates without having to teach in the richest school districts for decades. I'd also note that those are salaries (and similar for others in this discussion) are for 187-day school calendars, or 37.4 weeks/year. Generously applying the same rate to a 46 week/year "full time" calendar puts the top end in Round Rock at over $78,000. The median household income in Round Rock is around $70,000[1], suggesting that it isn't outrageous for a couple of married teachers there to earn well above average, even without summer income. Also, at least in MA, many teachers are not required to pay Social Security tax, but instead pay into a much more generous pension system. Other benefits are also competitive relative to the private sector. Again, though, I'm all for teachers making more money so more talented people are encouraged to teach. But the tenure system is not the way to get that result. [1] http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/48/4863500.html http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/48/4863500.html

cschneid 11y ago
ugh, summer argument. First: teachers typically work days not on the student's school calendar, so it's more like 39 or so weeks by your calculation. Second: they work WAY more than an 8 hour day. Last night she did 7am - 4pm in the building, then 2 or so hours at night grading. (and that was a light day since she had gotten her planning done previously this weekend). Third: summer is where you can finally catch up and plan classes. Girlfriend did a major revamp of her AP US History class so she was in-line with the new standards. Last year was Western Civ revamp. Next year will be the standard US History class. You're right, benefits are in-line (not better, just in-line) with corporate america. Mediocre, but existing health care. A pension style retirement plan that's reasonable, but at the mercy of underfunding by politicians (which seems to be expected at this point).
selimthegrim 11y ago
http://www.governing.com/columns/public-money/FICA-free-lunch-crowd.html http://www.governing.com/columns/public-money/FICA-free-lunc...

phonon 11y ago

Well, you can easily look up NYC teacher salaries. They start at $50k and go up to $105k. http://schools.nyc.gov/NR/rdonlyres/2712AB02-A1EF-4CE2-B879-33241B7AFFB5/0/TeacherSCHEDULEMAY12015Corrected.pdf http://schools.nyc.gov/NR/rdonlyres/2712AB02-A1EF-4CE2-B879-... When you take into account the shorter work day/work year http://www.uft.org/new-teachers/your-work-day-and-year http://www.uft.org/new-teachers/your-work-day-and-year really good benefits, including a $50-$60k a year pension (http://www.empirecenter.org/publications/pension-calculator/ http://www.empirecenter.org/publications/pension-calculator/) and essentially tenure...well, it's not too bad...

panzagl 11y ago
Why shouldn't it be 'not too bad'? For NYC that's the lower end of middle class- comparable to being in a (unionized) trade. And I can guarantee the teachers put up with more shit than a plumber.
- phonon 11y ago
  I'm pretty sure plumbers deal with more shit. Literally.
biftek 11y ago
lol if you think teachers have a "shorter work day/work year" My girlfriend is a High School teacher in NY, and easily works more than I do. You have to factor in planning and grading which is all done after "work".
- phonon 11y ago
  Well, average actual hours worked in the US is around 1800 (that's net after sick days, vacation, personal days, etc.) https://stats.oecd.org/Index.aspx?DataSetCode=ANHRS https://stats.oecd.org/Index.aspx?DataSetCode=ANHRS Given (in NYC) a school day of 6.33 hours (including lunch) and a school year of 18x days, then subtract personal days and the like...well. Also, most teachers don't need to do as much planning after a few years. Is if fair that longer serving teachers get paid twice as much as new ones, when new ones put in more hours usually? Well...