Teacher salaries raising eyebrows

"Ohio requires teachers to have a master's degree by the end of their 12th year."
SO- students get out of college, usually have to sub for a year (at 1/2 the pay of a first year teacher), THEN get a position started around $32,000. Then, in addition to re-paying college loans, they are required to earn a master's degree within 12 years. At $600 per grad hour, that's $24,000 a new teacher pays to get a master's.

I don't have a problem with young teachers rising in salary, given these realities.

The biggest cost driver seems to be the reduction of classroom size, which has added 33% more to overall labor costs.

Perhaps some of these must have degree stipulations need relaxed also.

I have no problem with the salaries, just the mandates that have added unsustainable costs which teachers need to recoup.

geezermom wrote:

"Ohio requires teachers to have a master's degree by the end of their 12th year."
SO- students get out of college, usually have to sub for a year (at 1/2 the pay of a first year teacher), THEN get a position started around $32,000. Then, in addition to re-paying college loans, they are required to earn a master's degree within 12 years. At $600 per grad hour, that's $24,000 a new teacher pays to get a master's.
I don't have a problem with young teachers rising in salary, given these realities.

And this is different in what way from taking a job in business or any place else? Many young people today have to go for advanced degrees and are taking on a lot of student loan debt, often at salaries equal or sometimes less than that of a teacher.

They have 12 years to do this once they become a teacher. That's plenty of time to settle down, get situated financially, and find the options to finance this degree. They're adults. They can find a way to do it as many others do--grants, loans, etc. I'm not trouncing teachers; however, reality of the situation is right now that with school districts having to cut back out of necessity, how can they afford rising teacher salaries right now?

Nearly every district reimburses teachers for this education requirement.

The real issue is why a Master's degree is even required. There is little evidence that an "education" degree makes one a better teacher.

Parasite Government wrote:

Nearly every district reimburses teachers for this education requirement.
The real issue is why a Master's degree is even required. There is little evidence that an "education" degree makes one a better teacher.

The two big ones in this county do not.

Anyone in any professional position has the opportunity to double their salary in ten years. So teachers should be no different. No, it shouldn't be mandated, but it should be obtainable with work and effort, just like in every other professional position.

Many school districts are not cutting back out of necessity, and the facts of this story take those areas into account as well. The true issue is our illegal school funding system where the rich fund the rich, and the poor suffer. I say take if from all equally and spread it all out equally. Add it to the sales tax and stop punishing the home and property owners of the state.

Parasite Government wrote:

Nearly every district reimburses teachers for this education requirement.

Oddly enough, nearly half the schools in this state do not reimburse teachers for this expense. Just ask the Ohio Educator'a Association.

Being a teacher is a part time job.Teachers get 3 months off in the summer,a week off for Christmas,a week off for spring break,another weeks worth of government/union mandated holidays and two weeks of sick/personal days.Teachers barely work 8 months out of the year.For this paltry effort teachers start out making around $35,000/year,average over $55,000/year and can top out over six figures for teachers who worm their way into the vast education bureaucracy.Teachers need to stop acting like a bunch of greedy money grubbing slugs and shut up and just do their jobs.In case they have forgotten what that is I will refresh their memory.TEACH OUR KIDS.I have a one word answer to all the teachers who whine and moan about how rough they have it.QUIT!!! Come join the rest of us poor working stiffs out here in the real world.We have to work all year long and don't get to spend our summer days lounging by the pool.

Some one please explain why taxpayers are paying for....

Why the crying about getting that additional degree when you get $120,000 per year to take the courses?

16.3 Tuition Reimbursement for Graduate Course Work

The Board shall provide $120,000 per year for the purpose of reimbursing members for graduate course work tuition. For the purpose of this provision, each year will begin on September 1 and conclude on August 31. Unused funds will be carried forward.

The tuition reimbursement program shall be jointly administered by the district and the Association per a mutually agreed upon procedure.

Members who do not receive fee authorization through the provisions of Article 16.2 will receive first priority in the distribution of tuition reimbursement funds.

Members who have less than five years of work experience in the Worthington City School District and who voluntarily resign their position shall be required to reimburse the district for any tuition reimbursement funds they received during their last year of employment. When applicable, reimbursement shall be made by deduction from the member’s final paycheck. The Board shall return all repayments to the tuition reimbursement fund.

Why are teachers within the school system paid to mentor other teachers?

21.5 Compensation

Mentor committee members shall be compensated $500 for work performed.

Mentors for staff members included in the Entry Year Program per state licensure guidelines shall be given a contract for the amount of $1,000.

Mentors who are offered to and accepted by staff members who are on intensive intervention or who have been transferred to positions they have not sought and for other staff members who are new to the Worthington Schools shall be given a contract for the amount of $375.

Now we have from the master contract that the teacher's year only runs 185 days.

22.1 Length of Contractual Year

The length of a member's regular contractual year will be no more than one hundred eighty-five (185) days. New member orientation meetings are exempt from this provision.

The first and second days of the 185-day contractual year shall consist of four four-hour blocks of time. One block shall be dedicated to District-wide activities, one block to building specific activities and two blocks to individual teacher planning and preparation. The Administration shall determine when this time will be scheduled during these two days.

This is only a start of the goodies in the contract, we didn't even get to the health benefits.

If David Bressman was honest he would've told the Dispatch the latest contract with more overly health raises for the WEA was approved prior to the last levy discussion. This link http://www.worthingtonea.org/contractetc/08-1... will take you to the contract that was approved before the last levy request. This link http://www.worthingtonea.org/ will also show more about the WEA and some of the benefits they enjoy.

Additional discussions with multiple members of the Worthington Community have also revealed the current school board president to be considered ineffective and another cause of levy failure within the district.

In South-Western City Schools:
Administrators receive 9.5% pay raises in the last 5 years and also the board agreed to pay 100% of their retirement during this same time.
With administrators receiving almost $100,000 that work out that the board is paying $10,000 for the administrator’s retirement which mean they take home an extra $10,000 every year. Whoa. Administrators are taking a pay freeze at this time but look what they have received in the last 5 years. Whoa
Teachers received 5.5% raise in this time and are taking a pay freeze at this time.
You decide who should be blamed for some of the problems. I'll take the people in charge, the administrators and board.
Vote NO. And vote all current board members out.
A no vote is the only way to get their attention.
Administrators at the top of the pay scale retire and then the board, based on recommendations from central office administrators, rehires them.
They do this and give those "retired" administrators an increase in pay over what they made at the top of the scale. The board also pays for family health coverage. The board doesn't pay their retirement because they are already retired. Ed Palmer, candidate for SWCS board, received this gift. He was making about$225,000 a year as retired rehired principal of Central Crossing. This is a perk the board gives administrators but not to teachers.
Current middle school and high school administrators are paid for their day at the school but also to attend sporting events, dances, plays, etc. Since none of the activities are taking place then those administrators should refund 5%-10% of their pay.
Change is needed. The good old boy system in place is not good for the kids, the voters, the parents, the district, everyone. No one except the administrators who receive these sweet heart deals from the Board and central office administration.
What happened to the Contract with the Community? LOL. The board and administrators think the voters are stupid.
Put an end to this garbage.

$120,000 spread over how many teachers? Most teachers don't receive any money because the money is used up.

In SWCS, administrators have all classes paid for no matter what the yearly costs are.

THEY ARE NUTS wrote:

Some one please explain why taxpayers are paying for....
Why the crying about getting that additional degree when you get $120,000 per year to take the courses?
16.3 Tuition Reimbursement for Graduate Course Work
The Board shall provide $120,000 per year for the purpose of reimbursing members for graduate course work tuition. For the purpose of this provision, each year will begin on September 1 and conclude on August 31. Unused funds will be carried forward.
The tuition reimbursement program shall be jointly administered by the district and the Association per a mutually agreed upon procedure.
Members who do not receive fee authorization through the provisions of Article 16.2 will receive first priority in the distribution of tuition reimbursement funds.
Members who have less than five years of work experience in the Worthington City School District and who voluntarily resign their position shall be required to reimburse the district for any tuition reimbursement funds they received during their last year of employment. When applicable, reimbursement shall be made by deduction from the member’s final paycheck. The Board shall return all repayments to the tuition reimbursement fund.
Why are teachers within the school system paid to mentor other teachers?
21.5 Compensation
Mentor committee members shall be compensated $500 for work performed.
Mentors for staff members included in the Entry Year Program per state licensure guidelines shall be given a contract for the amount of $1,000.
Mentors who are offered to and accepted by staff members who are on intensive intervention or who have been transferred to positions they have not sought and for other staff members who are new to the Worthington Schools shall be given a contract for the amount of $375.
Now we have from the master contract that the teacher's year only runs 185 days.
22.1 Length of Contractual Year
The length of a member's regular contractual year will be no more than one hundred eighty-five (185) days. New member orientation meetings are exempt from this provision.
The first and second days of the 185-day contractual year shall consist of four four-hour blocks of time. One block shall be dedicated to District-wide activities, one block to building specific activities and two blocks to individual teacher planning and preparation. The Administration shall determine when this time will be scheduled during these two days.
This is only a start of the goodies in the contract, we didn't even get to the health benefits.
If David Bressman was honest he would've told the Dispatch the latest contract with more overly health raises for the WEA was approved prior to the last levy discussion. This link http://www.worthingtonea.org/contractetc/08-1... will take you to the contract that was approved before the last levy request. This link http://www.worthingtonea.org/ will also show more about the WEA and some of the benefits they enjoy.
Additional discussions with multiple members of the Worthington Community have also revealed the current school board president to be considered ineffective and another cause of levy failure within the district.

Why should we try to limit teacher salaries now? Didn't Governor Strickland just make our school funding system constitutional? Seems like a new constitutional system would allow teachers to receive annual, if not, modest pay increases.

Parasite Government wrote:

Nearly every district reimburses teachers for this education requirement.
The real issue is why a Master's degree is even required. There is little evidence that an "education" degree makes one a better teacher.

Wrong on both counts. Coursework reimbursements have been drastically cut over the past few years and have not kept pace with rising tuition. Second, peer-reviewed research overwhelmingly supports the claim that after family influence, teacher quality positively impacts student achievement.

Let me know if you want references.

Can anyone tell me what page this was on in the print edition?

scuba steve wrote:

Being a teacher is a part time job.Teachers get 3 months off in the summer,a week off for Christmas,a week off for spring break,another weeks worth of government/union mandated holidays and two weeks of sick/personal days.Teachers barely work 8 months out of the year.For this paltry effort teachers start out making around $35,000/year,average over $55,000/year and can top out over six figures for teachers who worm their way into the vast education bureaucracy.Teachers need to stop acting like a bunch of greedy money grubbing slugs and shut up and just do their jobs.In case they have forgotten what that is I will refresh their memory.TEACH OUR KIDS.I have a one word answer to all the teachers who whine and moan about how rough they have it.QUIT!!! Come join the rest of us poor working stiffs out here in the real world.We have to work all year long and don't get to spend our summer days lounging by the pool.

Sounds like a little envy here ! I am not in the educational field . But , before i start to bad mouth what people make I would look into how I could become a teacher.

scuba steve wrote:

Being a teacher is a part time job.Teachers get 3 months off in the summer,a week off for Christmas,a week off for spring break,another weeks worth of government/union mandated holidays and two weeks of sick/personal days.Teachers barely work 8 months out of the year.For this paltry effort teachers start out making around $35,000/year,average over $55,000/year and can top out over six figures for teachers who worm their way into the vast education bureaucracy.Teachers need to stop acting like a bunch of greedy money grubbing slugs and shut up and just do their jobs.In case they have forgotten what that is I will refresh their memory.TEACH OUR KIDS.I have a one word answer to all the teachers who whine and moan about how rough they have it.QUIT!!! Come join the rest of us poor working stiffs out here in the real world.We have to work all year long and don't get to spend our summer days lounging by the pool.

I would be glad to have Steve shadow me for one day and tell me it is a part-time job. What an insult! When does he think planning, assessment, and collaboration occur? He has no clue what teachers do. How many jobs require you to purchase your own materials to complete the work?

Almost time for kickoff and we can forget about this trivial stuff

I have no problem with teachers earning a respectable wage and increases, I do have a problem with teachers getting tenure, to which they are impossible to remove from there job. I also do not like the idea of administration retiring from their primary position and being "rehired" under the guise of saving taxpayers money. Wages earned from the backs of others should be respected and closly managed. graft runs rampant from the crystal palaces in the suburban schools

Number One Buckeye Fan wrote:

Almost time for kickoff and we can forget about this trivial stuff

thats the problem with this city to many buckeyefans

You have some nerve putting a story out there about teachers not taking pay cuts when normally your stories are about our children needing the best education possible. Decide what your view is!... have your editors or owners taken a pay cut because of the economy? I really hate how the media (including your paper) is all about searching for stories that are half-way researched and just going for shock factor, and usually I look past it, but when you are trying to create an issue against people who are working to help our children and our future, how can you justify that? How bout your owners take a pay cut along with legislators and the heads of the big businesses that support your paper and donate that money to our children's education...