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Average high school teacher's salary in Texas is about 48k.* http://www.teacherportal.com/teacher-salaries-by-state/ You won't get rich, but for the workload required (which really isn't very much) it's more than good, especially when you consider that the people who play a role in this story would otherwise be flipping burgers, because nobody but the school system will hire someone this galactically stupid.

I would argue the reverse, they are in GENERAL underpaid, but there are definitely some who are NOT underpaid: see Chicago.

Here is a list of median and starting salaries for teachers. In my state, California, the median is $67k. In my county, Santa Clara, it is $79k. They also receive generous benefits, and summers off. Teachers are paid fairly well compared to other non-technical college graduates.

California is below average on teacher pay, compared to cost of living: http://www.teacherportal.com/salary/California-teacher-salary

Tossing more money at the problem with no improvement is more likely a symptom of the absurd real estate situation there than because of educational policy.

The thing is, schools that can't get rid of disruptive students are in bad shape - I have a friend who worked in one, (teachers were literally written up if they sent students to the office) and the scores were in the gutter. However, while that school indeed had dismal scores, plenty of schools (charter schools included) that drop disruptive students at a moment's notice are not showing the marked improvement you suggest. If this was a major problem, we would expect charter schools, on average, to perform better than public schools. In fact, on average, charter schools perform (slightly) worse: http://www.educationjustice.org/newsletters/nlej_iss21_art5_detail_CharterSchoolAchievement.htm

Truly awful teachers get canned, no problem. At least here in Colorado. I can point out multiple examples at multiple schools over the past few years. Mediocre teachers stick around, because if you choose to replace one you are more likely to get a worse candidate than a better one. This happens essentially everywhere, too - how many places have you worked that have a number of people doing the bare minimum of work to stay employed? I've yet to find a company that doesn't have this problem.

Since you are hung up on these two examples, though, and apparently aren't interested in considering the reform efforts that have worked wonders elsewhere, we might just have to agree to disagree. I think the ideas you propose are common sense, but worn-out and attempt to treat symptoms rather than the system as a whole. Finland has shown innovation and success after persistent effort. But I certainly can't force you to change your mind.

Which means that there is no state where "most" teachers are making south of $40,000 a year.

Not necessarily. The ratio of above-average and below-average pay may not be 1-to-1

For example, there's one teacher making 70k, but two teachers making 40k. The average end up being 50k

But what if one teacher makes 100k, and three teachers making only 33,333.33~. The average is still 50k

As to the majority of states starting above 40k, a quick google says 27 out of 50 states do so. Technically yes that is a majority, but it's not a huge gap. And we aren't taking into account of other factors such as cost of living and benefits (do all teachers from all states get the same benefits? Honest question for anyone to answer)

So many smart people on Slashdot. Why they no use their "Google-Fu"? http://www.teacherportal.com/teacher-salaries-by-state/

A few high level admins and some research professors at Univeristies make that kind of money.The median is pretty low. It only seems high because everyone else's wages have been dropping for 30 years thanks to Trickle Down Economics (aka 'Supply Side').

Why is this modderated +4? Its sources are crap.

"Poorest Paid Professional? Google: http://www.teacherportal.com/teacher-salaries-by-state/ [teacherportal.com]"

  Yeah, here is a group I am going to trust. Who owns the site? Oh an ad company. What three colleges are on their site, oh, on-line for profits. Yeah, no bias there to drag the numbers up.

Heres one to try: MYTH: Teachers make just as much as other, comparable professions. It says:

"FACT: According to a recent study by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, the teaching profession has an average national starting salary of $30,377. Meanwhile, NACE finds that other college graduates who enter fields requiring similar training and responsibilities start at higher salaries:

        Computer programmers start at an average of $43,635,
        Public accounting professionals at $44,668, and
        Registered nurses at $45,570."

Don't like that? Try this:

"The average salary for full-time public school teachers in 2010–11 was $56,069 in current dollars (i.e. dollars that are not adjusted for inflation). In constant (inflation-adjusted) dollars, the average salary was about 3 percent higher in 2010–11 than in 1990–91. " nces.ed.gov

"Average HOUSEHOLD income? Google: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Household_income_in_the_United_States [wikipedia.org]"

Now for Google, yeah lets look at that average Household. in 2003 (horribly old as shit data) Households with a person with a professional degree was $100,000 so our average teacher has a spouse making ~$44,000 which means in general the spouse has either a Bachelors or a Masters. What a shock, two college educated people make good money - the horror

"And 6-8 weeks of PTO?"

This old saw? Try 6-8 weeks of unemployment where you are STILL doing your job to get ready for the next year.

"As an IT PM, 50-70 hours. 15-20 days PTO + 10 holidays."

No wonder you are so confused, you are sleep deprived.

"BUT COME ON, "consistently one of the least respected, poorest paid professionals... longest hours of anyone"? BULL! Go see a few episodes of Dirty Jobs."

I don't know the show but do they have lots of PROFESSIONALS on dirty jobs? I had no idea.

Why was this marked +4 Interesting? The poster basically posted a random all-encompassing opinion with out any sources.

In North America? Have you traveled to parts outside of the Continental US to make that claim? I don't think Mexico & Canada would like to be put into the same bucket.

Least Respected? You said NA so I am guessing compared to the world. There are many countries out there where the senior students run the school and/or the teachers only show up to work on pay day.

Poorest Paid Professional? Google: http://www.teacherportal.com/teacher-salaries-by-state/
Average HOUSEHOLD income? Google: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Household_income_in_the_United_States
Nuff Said (if you compare to most other countries, foreign teachers make less or about the same relative to other jobs there).

Longest hours? Google: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/survey-teachers-work-53-hours-per-week-on-average/2012/03/16/gIQAqGxYGS_blog.html

53?!? And 6-8 weeks of PTO? WOW. Talk to any IT Developer, 50-100 hours per week. Average, easily 60. I was in Accounting & Auditing and averaged 55 hours (60+ for month, quarter, & annual closes). In IT, averaged 55; 100+ for deadlines. As an IT PM, 50-70 hours. 15-20 days PTO + 10 holidays.

And no, that does not count the hours spent on further education, certifications, and air travel for clients. And in the consulting world, not seeing home Monday to Thursday. Yes, our salaries are higher, 50k starting and growing to 80k+ over 5+ years, but considering the hours, I think comparable to teachers.

BUT COME ON, "consistently one of the least respected, poorest paid professionals... longest hours of anyone"? BULL! Go see a few episodes of Dirty Jobs.

Seniority has nothing to do with teachers becoming "heroes". My teacher heroes can be counted on both hands and they were some of the least paid in the schools (except 2). I respect them to the Nth degree. But the worst teachers, although just 4, made some of the highest salaries (90k+). Every time this topic comes up, I remember those 4 and think how much of a handicap each generation that they touch start off with. All the other teachers were mediocre but I still thank them for their contribution to what I am today.

Not sure where you guys are from that teachers make $30k-$40k but here in NJ the range is more like $50k-$70k.

Nope. For New Jersey: Starting salary for teachers, $38,408. Average salary, $58,156. And do note that NJ has the third highest starting salary and the fourth highest average salary among all states. Though the $30k-$40k range does seem to be somewhat low, it is far closer to reality than your $50k-$70k range.

South Dakota teacher salaries are very, very, very low.

http://teacherportal.com/teacher-salaries-by-state

26,000 is the average.

As the friend and niece of teachers, I can tell you that first off - they are underpaid and overworked. My aunt makes 25k a year which for a family of 4 puts them at about 11k under the poverty line for the US. She's been in her position for 3 years now and just had to worry about possible lay-off because of budget cuts.

I don't buy this. This is one of those situations where you need to "vote with your feet".

According to , teachers get much better pay than you state. For instance, teachers in Georgia (not a high COL state) get $34,442 for starting salary, and $48,300 average. MI, PA, OH, and TX are right below them. Tennessee pays an average of $42,537, and as someone who grew up there, I know that it's a dirt-cheap place to live (esp. Knoxville where I grew up).

What crappy state does your Aunt live in? North Dakota, Wisconsin, or Montana? Those are the only three that even start at $25k. Every other state pays more (some just a little, most a lot).

Finally, why on earth is your aunt trying to support a family of 4 on a teacher's salary? What is her husband doing? Sitting on his ass?

If you want to have a big family with kids, then it's your job to find a profession that pays for luxury. Everyone knows teachers don't make a lot of money in the USA, so it's a job for wives to be a supplement to their husbands' income (or vice versa). It's not a job for a primary breadwinner.

You can complain that it shouldn't be that way, and your theoretical arguments may be quite sensible, however if you point to someone that has already chosen this path, knowing how bad it'd be, then I have no sympathy, especially when it's easy to find better paying teaching jobs in other states. Tell her to move her ass to Alaska: teachers get $38,657 in starting pay there, plus they get a check from the government for oil revenues. Or better yet, move to another country: according to the first comment on that page above, teachers in Australia get $56k right out of college (last I checked, AUD was pretty much at parity with USD).

Over 78% of the teachers in our school district make over $50K a year for 9 months of work.

And I'm getting sick of this.

9 months of work? Seriously? I call bunk. Teachers are underpaid compared to other professionals with similar credentials. Teachers have at least a bachelor's degree and starting salaries range from mid 20's to mid 30's. I can make that at McDonald's. Most teachers have advanced degrees, which should put them in the 60-70k salary range. With experience, that should put them well over 80k, but it doesn't. Your "averages" include teachers with 10-20 years of experience, which clearly commands a higher wage, but doesn't approach what similarly experienced, degreed professionals make in other fields, even if you account for a smaller number of days worked.

What's my fault is allowing my state and school district to foist their expensive "programs" that don't work on a society that doesn't give a rip about education. I say abandon state sponsored education and let the free market work it out. At least I won't be paying for idiot administrators to pander to the loudest parents about their lazy kids

.

Over 78% of the teachers in our school district make over $50K a year for 9 months of work.

And I'm getting sick of this.

9 months of work? Seriously? I call bunk. Teachers are underpaid compared to other professionals with similar credentials. Teachers have at least a bachelor's degree and starting salaries range from mid 20's to mid 30's. I can make that at McDonald's. Most teachers have advanced degrees, which should put them in the 60-70k salary range. With experience, that should put them well over 80k, but it doesn't. Your "averages" include teachers with 10-20 years of experience, which clearly commands a higher wage, but doesn't approach what similarly experienced, degreed professionals make in other fields, even if you account for a smaller number of days worked.

What's my fault is allowing my state and school district to foist their expensive "programs" that don't work on a society that doesn't give a rip about education. I say abandon state sponsored education and let the free market work it out. At least I won't be paying for idiot administrators to pander to the loudest parents about their lazy kids

.

You don't get it. Teachers are being paid crappy hourly rates and forced to work "contract time" that has them there for 8+ hours a day.

Man, am I getting sick of this. Would you like me to post the list of salaries from my school district here? Over 78% of the teachers in our school district make over $50K a year for 9 months of work. 12% of our teachers are making over $100K for 9 months of work. Illinois averages $58K for 9 months http://teacherportal.com/salary/Illinois-teacher-salary

I'm sure there are plenty of teachers out there making crappy hourly rates, but that's YOUR fault, not theirs. If you don't value your kid's education enough to shell out the bucks, you deserve what you get.

your source includes Private school teachers with public school teachers, skewing the results upwards a great deal, and is also likely where the 80k a year earners are teaching at.

Googling around for State salaries indicates some pretty low salaries. I admit they're higher than I thought they were, though.

It might not be there yet...but Google might make archive.org not a singleton anymore.
Here is the index as it existed in 2001. http://www.google.com/search2001.html

They have their index and all the pages they crawled, it would just be a point of making it public.


******* Quit your job, become a teacher.