The economics of teaching

According to a recent article published in the Florida Times Union, one out of nine teachers is brand new this year. That means they have never taught before. In addition, according to our Superintendent five out of nine teachers have four years or less teaching experience. Nothing determines the success of a community as much as a quality education and I am incredibly concerned about these numbers. For any business, these statistics would indicate a staggering turnover rate. I am not saying experience is the one determining factor in the quality of our children's education; however, I am saying experience definitely helps.

I believe the number one reason teachers leave the field of education is the lack of support from the administration when dealing with unruly children. I can not emphasize more and I will say it till I am blue in the face. Ten percent of children take up ninety percent of a teacher's time and energy and not in a positive way. This leads to many children who need just a little extra help to fall through the cracks. And so many teachers run from the classroom ripping out their hair. The level of disrespect coming from some of these kids is unbelievable. I think we're hired to be responsible for them, because their parents can't do anything with them, and the juvenile justice system had had its budget whacked too.

So, here's the lowly paid teachers on the front lines of solving one of society's largest problems. But what is the value of an education... how can we teach that with a straight face while at the same time many of us are wondering how we're going to pay both our mortgage and our student loans?

This brings me to the second reason I believe many teachers leave the field, and plainly put, it's all about the money. Teachers get paid on a step system. Salaries are based on how many years they have of experience teaching. I am on step seven because this is my seventh year working for the district. Quite frankly, in today's economy the money is not that great.

First year teachers start at thirty-seven thousand dollars. But compare that to the national average of what people with bachelor's degrees make according to the US Census bureau in 2005 and we're far behind $51,206 dollars. Teachers with bachelor's degrees on the current pay scale are not scheduled to receive a salary of 51,206 dollars, well almost that amount anyway, until they are twenty years into their careers.

Now if I had a master's degree (which would cost about $20,000 in tuition) I could expect to make that amount after 19 years. However, the national average for people with advanced degrees is over seventy-four thousand a year. That national average salary for 2005 isn't even on the Duval County Teacher salary chart; no teacher in Duval county no matter how long they teach or how educated they are, or how many rewards they receive will ever make that amount.

Furthermore our yearly increases do not keep up with inflation. After one year, the first year teachers raise is less than one percent or about 20 bucks a month. In Jacksonville inflation is currently about seven percent, which means second year teachers have about seven percent less spending money, and then this problem just snowballs. Teachers are annually crippled by inflation, because teachers' salary increases are so minuscule. Most teachers stay less than five years because often they can't afford to stay any longer. Not only does each year, their checks don't go as far, but who wants to work at a place where after five years due to inflation your actual buying power has decreased by ten or more percent.

The newspaper today had an article about budget cuts. One of the areas scheduled to be cut is supplies. The district pays for supplies! This was news to me. At the beginning of the year, I spent about two hundred and fifty dollars to outfit my room and this was generously refunded to me by the teacher lead money. Since then, I would say I spend on average about twenty-five dollars a week on things for my room. This is money which will never be refunded, and I consider myself frugal when I compare myself to many other teachers. Then there's the kid who has forgotten his or her lunch money again, or doesn't have a winter coat and guess who finances that? Usually it's the teacher. Continuing education, recertification, teaching materials and so much more each year also bite into our annually shrinking pay.

Our Superintendent has said through these next budget cuts he is hopeful that he can maintain the present level of teacher pay and benefits. I am confident his recent massive raise is not in any danger. Or the generous salary earned by the School Board and other school administrative officials, when I say we don't go into teaching to be rich I obviously just mean most of us. Here is the thing unless Mr. Pratt-Daniels wants to continue with the massive hemorrhage of turnover in teachers he had better do better than try to keep the status quo.

I have sent him and school board literally dozens of ideas designed to increase teacher compensation. My plan is basic. It does not give teachers more actual money but it does have their buying power increased. Basically, teachers would be eligible for various employee discounts through out town. My selling point was: What corporation or business would not want nine thousand new customers and the prestige of saying they support local education in their advertisements and literature? I have heard nothing back. You would think in these difficult times the administration would want suggestions and ideas from anyone and everyone. Sadly, this does not seem to be the case.

Even if they flat out hated my ideas there are so many things our superintendent and the school board could be doing. All I hear about is cutting this and cutting that. I am not sure if they were elected to look at a spreadsheets bottom lines and say; "Let's get rid of this and that." I thought they were voted in to make things better.

Here is a free one Mr. Superintendent and school board! Please go meet with out elected officials in Washington and have them propose teachers be exempt from the federal income tax. A huge segment of the population believes the IRS and the income tax is already on the way out anyway. Let's get ahead of this. For that matter let's have police, fireman, other first responders and our military forces also be exempt from paying federal income taxes as well. I believe if you are going to commit your life to helping society, society at least should pay you a wage which allows you to pay your bills, which allows you to live.

I know in these economic times, everyone feels the pinch. But if the extra five thousand dollars taken out for taxes is returned to me it is not going to make me rich. It would be the difference in having a savings account and not having one. It would be the difference between teachers' paying for emergencies with their money rather than their credit cards. It will be the difference between me and many others staying or leaving teaching. And wanting to make a difference is what brought us here in the first place.