[Vision2020] LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Dale Courtney dale@courtneys.us
Thu, 31 Jul 2003 16:58:39 -0700


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In today's Daily News from Jack Wenders -- to the point as always. 
  _____  

     Your knee-jerk haste to defend Moscow's teachers' pay neglects some
facts.
      Research shows that only 4-5 years of teacher experience contributes
to student learning. Experience beyond that has no payoff except in pay.
   Pedagogy credits don't contribute to learning. Advanced degrees are
productive only at the secondary level and in the subject being taught.
Credits are used mostly to climb the salary grid.
   Moscow's teachers receive $380.76 per month in current benefits. That's
an additional $4569.12 annually you never hear about.
   Moscow's teachers receive at least an additional 18.45% of salary in
deferred retirement benefits.
      The total compensation of the average Moscow teacher is not the
$42,000 you suggest, but $55,892. Not bad for a 180 day work year, while
those who pay for it work 240 days.
    Starting compensation is $34,391 per year, a long way from the $25k
salary you quote. How much does the DN pay starting reporters with the same
education? Half?
        74 (45%) of Moscow's teachers are in the single top cell of the
salary grid where total compensation is $62,358 per year. 123 (75%) are in
the top five highest paying longevity cells. No private enterprise has such
an unproductive, bloated, top heavy compensation structure.
      Twelve MSD administrators make over $80,000 in annual compensation;
three make over $100,000.
   Comparable private schools have an average teachers' salary of 60-65% of
those in public schools. About half of this differential is because
comparable public school teachers are paid about 20-25% more, and the rest
is because private schools operate with a much more efficient mix of
teachers. This is why US public schools have a per pupil cost of about 50%
greater than comparable private and foreign schools. Compared to the latter,
about one-third of US public school expenditures is simply waste.
 
    Jack Wenders
    Moscow
  _____  

 
Best,
Dale
----------
We must also read the poets, acquaint ourselves with histories, study and
peruse the masters and authors in every excellent art, and by way of
practice, praise, expound, emend, criticize and confute them; we must argue
every question on both sides, and bring out on every topic whatever points
can be deemed plausible.  Cicero, The Making of an Orator
 
Dale M. Courtney
Lecturer in Information Systems
Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA 
MCSE/MCDBA, Information Architect
phone:(831)214-4353; dmcourtn@moscow.com

  <http://courtneys.us/images/MCDBA_SE.jpg> 

 

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<DIV><SPAN class=3D305005723-31072003><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff =
size=3D2>In=20
today's Daily News from Jack Wenders -- to the point as always. </DIV>
<DIV>
<HR>
</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman" color=3D#000000 =
size=3D3>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;=20
Your knee-jerk haste to defend Moscow's teachers' pay neglects some=20
facts.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Research shows that only 4-5 =
years of=20
teacher experience contributes to student learning. Experience beyond =
that has=20
no payoff except in pay.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp; Pedagogy credits don't =
contribute to=20
learning. Advanced degrees are productive only at the secondary level =
and in the=20
subject being taught. Credits are used mostly to climb the salary=20
grid.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp; Moscow's teachers receive $380.76 per month in =
current=20
benefits. That's an additional $4569.12 annually you never hear=20
about.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp; Moscow's teachers receive at least an additional =
18.45%=20
of salary in deferred retirement =
benefits.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The=20
total compensation of the average Moscow teacher is not the $42,000 you =
suggest,=20
but $55,892. Not bad for a 180 day work year, while those who pay for it =
work=20
240 days.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Starting compensation is $34,391 per =
year, a=20
long way from the $25k salary you quote. How much does the DN pay =
starting=20
reporters with the same education?=20
Half?<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 74 (45%) of Moscow's =

teachers are in the single top cell of the salary grid where total =
compensation=20
is $62,358 per year. 123 (75%) are in the top five highest paying =
longevity=20
cells. No private enterprise has such an unproductive, bloated, top =
heavy=20
compensation structure.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Twelve MSD=20
administrators make over $80,000 in annual compensation; three make over =

$100,000.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp; Comparable private schools have an average =
teachers'=20
salary of 60-65% of those in public schools. About half of this =
differential is=20
because comparable public school teachers are paid about 20-25% more, =
and the=20
rest is because private schools operate with a much more efficient mix =
of=20
teachers. This is why US public schools have a per pupil cost of about =
50%=20
greater than comparable private and foreign schools. Compared to the =
latter,=20
about one-third of US public school expenditures is simply =
waste.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman" color=3D#000000 =
size=3D3>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Jack=20
Wenders<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Moscow</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>
<HR>
</DIV></FONT></SPAN>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff =
size=3D2>Best,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Vladimir Script" color=3D#0000ff =
size=3D5>Dale</FONT><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D4><BR>----------<BR><B><FONT =
color=3D#000099><EM>We=20
must also read the poets, acquaint ourselves with histories, study and =
peruse=20
the masters and authors in every excellent art, and by way of practice, =
praise,=20
expound, emend, criticize and confute them; we must argue every question =
on both=20
sides, and bring out on every topic whatever points can be deemed=20
plausible</EM>.&nbsp; Cicero, <U>The Making of an=20
Orator</U></FONT></B></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D4>Dale M. =
Courtney</FONT><BR><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D4>Lecturer in Information =
Systems<BR>Naval=20
Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D4>MCSE/MCDBA, Information=20
Architect<BR>phone:(831)214-4353; <A=20
href=3D"mailto:dmcourtn@moscow.com">dmcourtn@moscow.com</A></FONT></DIV>
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border=3D0></P>
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