Teacher Pay
In an era of stories about teacher layoffs and teacher unions protesting for better pay and benefits, it's assumed that this profession gets the short end of the wage stick when it comes to serving in public schools. But are they really not getting their fair share when comparing degrees received, hours worked and lucrative benefits? And is the argument that teachers receive low pay taking into account the quality of education they bring to the classroom? AEI experts assess teacher pay and where educators really stand on the pay scale.
Discover Teacher Pay Content
-
FILTER BY DATEAll Time
-
-
FILTER BY RELEVANCEMost Recent
-
-
FILTER BY CONTENT TYPEAll Content Types
-
Response to Jeffrey Keefe’s review of “Assessing the Compensation of Public School Teachers.”
It is a view as ubiquitous as it is simplistic: To improve public education, pay teachers more—a lot more. Union officials, education reformers, scholars, laypeople, and politicians of all stripes endorse this principle in one form or another.
The authors of the November 2011 Heritage Foundation report “Assessing the Compensation of Public-School Teachers” respond to questions and concerns, in the process showing that certain critical accusations—such as undercounting teachers’ work hours or overestimating retirement benefits—are simply false.
Public school teacher compensation is roughly 50 percent above private sector levels. In addition to merit pay, fundamental reforms to help schools hire, promote and fire teachers according to the best interests of students is needed.
Are teachers paid too much? It's a question that would ignite heated debate at the most mellow of cocktail parties. But it's a question that AEI took head-on this year.
Do teachers work dramatically longer hours than other white collar professionals? No.
Public school teacher salaries are fair and their fringe benefits far outclass private saector jobs. In total, public school teachers are overpaid by more than 50 percent which costs governments over $100 billion annually.
The broader issue of how we can rethink the teaching profession, make fuller use of talented teachers, and wisely spend the dollars we do have is more important than debating what the "right" wage level should be.
