Compensation in the US can be complicated. Some rural districts near me are offering houses and cars in lieu of actual dollars. These districts are chronically

Compensation in the US can be complicated. Some rural districts near me are offering houses and cars in lieu of actual dollars. These districts are chronically understaffed and quite poor. So other forms of value have to be transferred in order to attract teachers. Not that it does any good really. The houses and cars tend to be in bad condition/s, and then there's a fun little federal tax burden you get for being gifted such items. That and the rural districts tend to the end of the road for a teaching career. Since the pay is so bad, you can't save up to move back to a city district, or get more professional credentials, or advance your career in any real way. That and you have to live in a really small town as an outsider that doesn't really 'belong' there. I feel for those districts, but the math is the math. It's not worth it to become a rural teacher if you have other options.