Sunday, August 31, 2014

Teachers: Happy Labor Day? | educarenow

Teachers: Happy Labor Day? | educarenow:



Teachers: Happy Labor Day?

The Detroit Free Press’s “Raw Data” series just came out with an article pointing out the decline in teacher salaries in Michigan (and most of the rest of the country) since 1999.
Mind you, this decline has taken place at the same time many Michigan colleges have increased graduation requirements for teacher certification to 5 years.  So, due to the increased time needed for certification, the cost of college has increased  for those aspiring to be teachers, as the certification and renewal process has also become more difficult and costly, while teachers must meet the requirements of “highly qualified” as determined by NCLB.
And pay is declining.
From the Free Press:
“Salaries for public school teachers in Michigan declined 8% between 1999 and 2012 — the third largest decline among states, according to data from the National Education Association. The average salary for a Michigan public school teacher was $61,560 in 2012. Nationwide, teacher salaries declined by about 1%, to $56,383, with 27 states reporting that average salaries fell during the same period.
Average teacher salaries vary depending upon teacher education and years of experience. Michigan public school teachers with a bachelor’s degree as their Teachers: Happy Labor Day? | educarenow: