There is a constant debate on whether teachers are over or under paid. While commenting on anyone’s salary is usually taboo, it appears that taxpayers feel quite at ease stressing about the teachers’ salary. On the one hand, their compensation over a twelve month period is usually under many professions in a particular area. However, if you think about that they work nine or ten months annually, their compensation rate increases. So, the amount of money to teachers make?
Invest the the question literally, teachers’ salaries are usually perhaps the public record and can be investigated on a State’s website. You can do a more advanced search to find out what a starting high school teacher would make or how much a high school English teacher would make. However, having a number would not give a full picture of what a teacher actually generates, as there are intangibles and benefits that may factor into the total compensation amount. Vacation time, insurance benefits, tuition remission, and retirement contributions all can factor into an amount.
Though it is tempting to say, “Well, teachers only work nine months a year. They get all that vacation. ” that’s not giving an authentic picture of a teacher’s life acim mp3. Yes, there are some big vacation times, but a teacher is not usually allowed to take their vacation whenever they want to. The school work schedule dictates their schedule. Therefore family events such as a wedding may have to be missed or taken without pay if they happen to occur during the school year.
Teachers’ salaries vary widely according to which state you reside in. North Dakota ranks the lowest with a starting teacher earning $24, 872. Connecticut’s starting salary is $39, 259. But these are starting salaries. The average in North Dakota is $37, 764 and in Connecticut is $59, 304. California has a starting salary of $35, 760, but the average salary is $59, 825. One must be sure to compare like amounts when looking at various teacher salaries.
To compare teachers’ salaries with other professions you must determine whether it is fair to compare a nine month job with a year-round job. Many teachers take on a second summer job to supplement their income. If you add those earnings into the salary it is much more competitive. Some may assert that if they need to work all year, so must a teacher.
To accurately gauge a salary you must also take into account the cost of living in a particular area. Comparing dollar to dollar is not an accurate view of a salary’s true worth. No matter which side of the debate on teachers’ salaries you fall on, teachers have a vital function in our society and spend countless hours finding your way through their jobs. They are often saddled with children who come from dysfunctional families or have parents who do not discipline them. The teachers need to provide love to children without holding them. They need to teach basic sex education and good manners, subjects that used to be taught at home. Their pay should reflect the importance they play in the present society.