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> Counterpoint: teachers' pay is great, it's just backloaded in pension plans. Nonsense. Even the most basic look at the numbers shows you this is absolutely f

> Counterpoint: teachers' pay is great, it's just backloaded in pension plans. Nonsense. Even the most basic look at the numbers shows you this is absolutely false. Let's take a rich liberal state first. MA. Average teacher salary: $60k. Average pension $43k. Teachers contribute 9.78% of their salary in order to get this pension! The state contributes 18.17% This is not all that different from a 401k. You're confusing teachers with police officers, where the average pension is twice as high. > Why didn't I end up in teaching? The licensing requirements in Minnesota are insane. Counselor's straight up told me I'd have to borrow ~$50k from the UMN for a MS in Curriculum and Instruction before I could teach. Then you got terrible advice. Because the licensing requirements in Minnesota are very lax: https://mn.gov/pelsb/aspiring-educators/portfolio/ https://mn.gov/pelsb/aspiring-educators/portfolio/ You take two tests and fill out some forms. You don't even need a Master's in education. They should really tighten that up. btw, you can definitely do that MS for <$20k online.

andrewprock 4y ago
Pensions are typically not paid based on average teacher salary, but paid based on terminal teacher salary. Defined benefit pensions are quite different from a 401k. In our district, once you qualify for a pension you get 2% of your terminal salary per year you work. If you work for 40 years, you will be paid 80% of your last year's salary.
- light_hue_1 4y ago
  I don't understand this reply. I quoted you the actual statistics for MA. https://www.teacherpensions.org/state/massachusetts https://www.teacherpensions.org/state/massachusetts Teachers pay into the system, quite substantially, at rates that are similar to what you would pay for a 401k. And their average pensions are quite low.
  - andrewprock 4y ago
    The formula on that page is a fixed benefit based, not on average salary, but the average salary at the end of the teacher's career - last five years. This is nothing like a 401k.

andrewprock 4y ago

Pensions are typically not paid based on average teacher salary, but paid based on terminal teacher salary. Defined benefit pensions are quite different from a 401k. In our district, once you qualify for a pension you get 2% of your terminal salary per year you work. If you work for 40 years, you will be paid 80% of your last year's salary.

light_hue_1 4y ago
I don't understand this reply. I quoted you the actual statistics for MA. https://www.teacherpensions.org/state/massachusetts https://www.teacherpensions.org/state/massachusetts Teachers pay into the system, quite substantially, at rates that are similar to what you would pay for a 401k. And their average pensions are quite low.
- andrewprock 4y ago
  The formula on that page is a fixed benefit based, not on average salary, but the average salary at the end of the teacher's career - last five years. This is nothing like a 401k.