[Vision2020] Letter to the Editor: Teacher salary article was incomplete

Mon, 28 Jul 2003 16:27:15 -0700

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I wrote the following Letter to the Editor in response to Alexis =
Bacharach's article last weekend. It ran in today's Daily News.=20

Best,
Dale Courtney
Moscow, Idaho
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Moscow teachers are paid more than the state average because teacher pay =
is based on a) the number of college credits attained (in any subject) =
and b) the number of years of teaching. However, the article left out =
many important details. Teachers are further compensated in at least =
three significant ways that are typically ignored in salary discussions. =
First, teacher benefits account for an additional 28.6% of their salary. =
In the private sector, fringe benefits average 15.8% of salary.=20

Second, MSD teachers instruct 168-170 days per year for the salary =
discussed above (the national average is 180 teaching days per year). =
The average American works 240 days per year-nearly 30 percent more days =
than government teachers for the pay they receive; plus, they have the =
opportunity to teach summer school, go on vacations, take other =
employment opportunities, or be paid by MSD to attend college to add to =
their salary. To compare MSD teacher salaries to the rest of the =
nation's salaries, teacher salaries must be "annualized"-converted from =
a school year to a 12-month scale. To see the results of this =
normalization, visit http://courtneys.us/msd/Teacher_Salaries.htm

When you include these first two compensations (benefits and annualized =
salary), the real average MSD teacher salary is $63,663; and 77% of all =
MSD teachers are making over this amount.

Third, these salary figures do not include extra pay for all the =
extracurricular activities, such as coaching. This compensation at MSD =
can be significant-up to 48% again the teacher's base salary.

Three things fall out from the above discussion. First, teacher pay is =
not based on merit or excellence in teaching. Second, the fastest way to =
a pay raise is to get more college credit-in anything! Third, having 77% =
of all teachers at the top of the salary grid is mismanagement of =
taxpayer funds.

Dale Courtney=20
Moscow=20

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I wrote the following Letter to the Editor in response to Alexis =
Bacharach's=20
article last weekend. It ran in today's Daily News.=20
 Best, Dale Courtney Moscow, Idaho
<HR>

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/><st1:place=20
w:st=3D"on"><st1:City w:st=3D"on">Moscow</st1:City></st1:place> teachers =
are paid=20
more than the state average because teacher pay is based on a) the =
number of=20
college credits attained (in any subject) and b) the number of years of=20
teaching. However, the article left out many important details. Teachers =
are=20
further compensated in at least three significant ways that are =
typically=20
ignored in salary discussions. First, teacher benefits account for an =
additional=20
28.6% of their salary. In the private sector, fringe benefits average =
15.8% of=20
salary. 
Second, MSD=20
teachers instruct 168-170 days per year for the salary discussed above =
(the=20
national average is 180 teaching days per year). The average American =
works 240=20
days per year=97nearly 30 percent more days than government teachers for =
the pay=20
they receive; plus, they have the opportunity to teach summer school, go =
on=20
vacations, take other employment opportunities, or be paid by MSD to =
attend=20
college to add to their salary. To compare MSD teacher salaries to the =
rest of=20
the nation's salaries, teacher salaries must be "annualized"=97converted =
from a=20
school year to a 12-month scale. To see the results of this =
normalization, visit=20
<A href=3D"http://courtneys.us/msd/Teacher_Salaries.htm"><SPAN=20
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When you=20
include these first two compensations (benefits and annualized salary), =
the real=20
average MSD teacher salary is $63,663; and 77% of all MSD teachers are =
making=20
over this amount.
Third,=20
these salary figures do not include extra pay for all the =
extracurricular=20
activities, such as coaching. This compensation at MSD can be =
significant=97up to=20
48% again the teacher's base salary.
Three=20
things fall out from the above discussion. First, teacher pay is not =
based on=20
merit or excellence in teaching. Second, the fastest way to a pay raise =
is to=20
get more college credit=97in anything! Third, having 77% of all teachers =
at the=20
top of the salary grid is mismanagement of taxpayer funds.
Dale Courtney Moscow </DIV></BODY></HTML>

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