[Vision2020] Letter to the Editor: Teacher salary article was incomplete
Don Kaag
dkaag@turbonet.com
Mon, 28 Jul 2003 18:36:02 -0700
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Dale:
As the token public school teacher, I have a couple of questions and=20
comments...
1. Our compensation package is not as good as either UI or WSU.
2. In the last three years, the cost of our medical insurance to each=20=
member (and we are required to be members of the pool...) has increased=20=
each year by more than the district has increased their contribution. =20=
Given that our salaries have not come close to matching annual=20
cost-of-living inflation, that means that, in effect, we have=20
experienced pay cuts for at least the last three years.
3. What summer school?
4. Continuing recertification requirements generally require teachers=20
to go to school every summer, and no, the school district does NOT pay=20=
us to attend! We pay tuition like everyone else. Most of us not=20
attending college courses in the summer are working on curriculum, on=20
our own time, "off the clock", for the next school year.
5. If you are attending summer school most of the summer, the chances=20=
of A) other employment, or B) extended vacations, are slim.
6. There are very few coaches as a percentage of the total number of=20
teachers in this district. Those teachers who do coach make a=20
pittance, and work long hours on nights and weekends to earn it. Most=20=
of the extracurricular activities requiring teacher presence are=20
covered by volunteer teachers, i.e., WE DO NOT GET PAID FOR OUR TIME=20
OUTSIDE OF THE SCHOOL DAY!
7. Most of the teachers I know come early and stay late. =20
Additionally, we work nights and weekends on correcting assignments and=20=
exams, writing lesson plans, contacting parents, and on professional=20
reading and education.
8. Salaries in Idaho are so low, and the attitude of many Idahoans=20
towards public education is so poor, that very few of our student=20
teachers stay here and teach in the state. We are supporting higher=20
education to train teachers to teach in Idaho schools, and they are=20
very intelligently packing their bags and going elsewhere to teach upon=20=
graduation. So, what will happen to both the public and private=20
schools in Moscow when the 77% of the district teachers who are at the=20=
top of the experience and education scales hit retirement (Most of them=20=
in the next 5 years.), should be interesting to watch.
9. I am all for merit pay. My salary will go up. I have a Masters=20
degree (3.93 GPA) in History, and the equivalent of another in=20
post-Masters courses. (I teach Advanced Placement U.S. History to high=20=
school juniors, and my kids are tested by worldwide competitive exam,=20
administered by the Educational Testing Service, the same folks who=20
write and administer the College Boards.)
Regards,
Don Kaag
On Monday, July 28, 2003, at 04:27 PM, Dale Courtney wrote:
> I wrote the following Letter to the Editor in response to Alexis=20
> Bacharach's article last weekend. It ran in today's Daily News.
>
> Best,
> Dale Courtney
> Moscow, Idaho
>
<image.tiff>
>
>
> Moscow teachers are paid more than the state average because teacher=20=
> pay is based on a) the number of college credits attained (in any=20
> subject) and b) the number of years of teaching. However, the article=20=
> left out many important details. Teachers are further compensated in=20=
> at least three significant ways that are typically ignored in salary=20=
> discussions. First, teacher benefits account for an additional 28.6%=20=
> of their salary. In the private sector, fringe benefits average 15.8%=20=
> of salary.
>
> Second, MSD teachers instruct 168-170 days per year for the salary=20
> discussed above (the national average is 180 teaching days per year).=20=
> The average American works 240 days per year=97nearly 30 percent more=20=
> days than government teachers for the pay they receive; plus, they=20
> have the opportunity to teach summer school, go on vacations, take=20
> other employment opportunities, or be paid by MSD to attend college to=20=
> add to their salary. To compare MSD teacher salaries to the rest of=20
> the nation's salaries, teacher salaries must be "annualized"=97converted=
=20
> from a school year to a 12-month scale. To see the results of this=20
> normalization, visit http://courtneys.us/msd/Teacher_Salaries.htm
>
> When you include these first two compensations (benefits and=20
> annualized salary), the real average MSD teacher salary is $63,663;=20
> and 77% of all MSD teachers are making over this amount.
>
> Third, these salary figures do not include extra pay for all the=20
> extracurricular activities, such as coaching. This compensation at MSD=20=
> can be significant=97up to 48% again the teacher's base salary.
>
> Three things fall out from the above discussion. First, teacher pay is=20=
> not based on merit or excellence in teaching. Second, the fastest way=20=
> to a pay raise is to get more college credit=97in anything! Third,=20
> having 77% of all teachers at the top of the salary grid is=20
> mismanagement of taxpayer funds.
>
> Dale Courtney
> Moscow
>
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Dale:
As the token public school teacher, I have a couple of questions and
comments...
1. Our compensation package is not as good as either UI or WSU. =20
2. In the last three years, the cost of our medical insurance to each
member (and we are required to be members of the pool...) has
increased each year by more than the district has increased their
contribution. Given that our salaries have not come close to matching
annual cost-of-living inflation, that means that, in effect, we have
experienced pay cuts for at least the last three years.
3. What summer school?
4. Continuing recertification requirements generally require teachers
to go to school every summer, and no, the school district does NOT pay
us to attend! We pay tuition like everyone else. Most of us not
attending college courses in the summer are working on curriculum, on
our own time, "off the clock", for the next school year.
5. If you are attending summer school most of the summer, the chances
of A) other employment, or B) extended vacations, are slim.
6. There are very few coaches as a percentage of the total number of
teachers in this district. Those teachers who do coach make a
pittance, and work long hours on nights and weekends to earn it. Most
of the extracurricular activities requiring teacher presence are
covered by volunteer teachers, i.e., WE DO NOT GET PAID FOR OUR TIME
OUTSIDE OF THE SCHOOL DAY!
7. Most of the teachers I know come early and stay late.=20
Additionally, we work nights and weekends on correcting assignments
and exams, writing lesson plans, contacting parents, and on
professional reading and education.
8. Salaries in Idaho are so low, and the attitude of many Idahoans
towards public education is so poor, that very few of our student
teachers stay here and teach in the state. We are supporting higher
education to train teachers to teach in Idaho schools, and they are
very intelligently packing their bags and going elsewhere to teach
upon graduation. So, what will happen to both the public and private
schools in Moscow when the 77% of the district teachers who are at the
top of the experience and education scales hit retirement (Most of
them in the next 5 years.), should be interesting to watch.
9. I am all for merit pay. My salary will go up. I have a Masters
degree (3.93 GPA) in History, and the equivalent of another in
post-Masters courses. (I teach Advanced Placement U.S. History to
high school juniors, and my kids are tested by worldwide competitive
exam, administered by the Educational Testing Service, the same folks
who write and administer the College Boards.)
Regards,
Don Kaag
On Monday, July 28, 2003, at 04:27 PM, Dale Courtney wrote:
<excerpt>I wrote the following Letter to the Editor in response to
Alexis Bacharach's article last weekend. It ran in today's
<italic>Daily News</italic>.
Best,
Dale Courtney
Moscow, Idaho
</excerpt><<image.tiff>
<excerpt>
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.
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=97nearly 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"=97converted
from a school year to a 12-month scale. To see the results of this
normalization, visit
=
<underline><color><param>1999,1999,FFFF</param>http://courtneys.us/msd/Tea=
cher_Salaries.htm</color></underline>
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=97up 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=97in anything! Third,
having 77% of all teachers at the top of the salary grid is
mismanagement of taxpayer funds.
Dale Courtney
Moscow
</excerpt>=
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