\doc\web\99\06\techfaq.txt Reply-To: "Kage D. McClued" From: "Kage D. McClued" Newsgroups: seattle.politics,tacoma.politics,wash.politics Subject: FAQ on teacher's salaries.... Date: Thu, 8 Apr 1999 18:13:30 -0700 Lines: 108 X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.00.2014.211 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.00.2014.211 NNTP-Posting-Host: 216.65.153.88 Message-ID: <370d5422.0@news.pacifier.com> X-Trace: 8 Apr 1999 18:13:06 PST, 216.65.153.88 Path: brokaw.wa.com!nwnews.wa.com!uunet!sea.uu.net!chi.uu.net!nyc.uu.net!ams.uu.net!rill.news.pipex.net!pipex!newsfeed.berkeley.edu!news.he.net!pacifier!news.pacifier.com!216.65.153.88 Xref: brokaw.wa.com seattle.politics:52692 tacoma.politics:4728 wash.politics:34881 FAQ on teachers salaries. 1. We've all heard stories about the difficulties teacher's face as a result of their career choice. How much do they actually make? Currently, starting teachers with a bachelor's degree make $22,950 for their 183-day work year, or $125.41 cents per work day. That equates to $15.66 per hour, not including benefits, which the state Department of Employment Security pegs at approximately 20.22 % of the base pay, or, in this case, another $4640. This figure does not include the various "supplemental contracts," which, according to the Tacoma News Tribune average an additional $3000, and are received, according to that publication, by almost everyone. In short, the total compensation package for beginning teachers is approximately $30,590 per 193-work day year. The most senior teachers have 15 or more years with a Ph.D. They make $48,141 for their 183-day work year, or $263.07 per day. That equates to $32.88 per hour, not including benefits which, utilizing the State's formula, equates to $9734.11 and their additional supplemental contract of $3000. In short, the total compensation for a "topped out" teacher is $60875.11 per 193-work day year. The AVERAGE teacher makes $38,778 per year. Again, utilizing the formula of the state, the total compensation for the average teacher is $49,620.93. 2. But, haven't the teachers lost "15% of their buying power?" In a word, no. While it is a fact that teachers have received the same 7% pay raises of any other state employee that has actually worked over the same period of time, there are a variety of factors to consider. First: Of course newer teachers have "lost" none of their "buying power." To "lose" buying power assumes that one was receiving a wage, and that, subsequently, that wage was reduced or the cost of living increased WHILE THEY WERE WORKING. New teachers, by virtue of the fact they were not working have lost nothing, and their starting wage is their starting wage. period. Second: Teachers around the state are fond of telling us all that they've lost "15%" over the past several years. Even assuming this figure was accurate, the fact is that this number reflects ONLY the Seattle CPI (Consumer Price Index). That figure is in no way, for example, reflected in Asotin, Chelan, Wenatchee, or Longview. Teachers, however, use no distinction in their claims or demands. Third: Teachers never refer to the fact that, like all state employees that haven't topped out in their job skill, they receive step increase pay raises EVERY year. These pay raises are given in addition to any other raises, such as the raises of 3 and 4% they point to over the last 6 years or so. The fact is, that each year, teachers that have been employed over the last six years or so have received step increases of approximately 2.5% to 3% per year. The end result is that in real terms teachers have lost a grand total of 1.2% of their buying power up until this year. 3. But, doesn't their claim that higher pay for them equates to better education for our children have merit? There is no evidence to suggest that a higher pay scale for teachers equates to a better outcome for students. On the contrary, teachers are paid considerably more just south of us in Oregon, yet test results are either about the same, or slightly below that of Washington. 4. With the claims of a present and future teacher shortage, surely most other states must be paying more then Washington, right? Some are... but the vast majority are not. Even the WEA (Teacher's main union in this state - Washington Education Association) admits that Washington pays better then 31 other states right now, a figure that would climb no matter how much the pay raise was. 5. So, why isn't the legislature supporting a raise for teachers? Actually, while the question above reflects a widely held belief, the fact is that teachers have always been projected to get a raise this session. Initially, Governor Locke proposed a 4% over two year pay raise as part of his budget, clearly indicating that raises would be a part of the budget from the very beginning. Now the offers on the table range from 8% to 12.2%. Teachers, however, are sticking to their demands for a 15% across the board pay increase. 6. Aren't the teacher's sick-outs against the law? No. they're not. While they do violate the collective bargaining agreements of each district by arbitrarily and unilaterally changing the work schedule in the contract (Something the school districts are absolutely forbidden to do for the same reason) there is no provision of the law that makes such actions illegal. Further, they know that a sick-out day will be made up at the end of the school year, so that, in the short term, their conduct will not cost them a thing. As the South County Journal put it on April 6, "Only students and parents suffer when teachers refuse to work."