Posted on 04/09/2012 4:56:17 PM PDT by MichCapCon
The Michigan Education Association’s newest strategy is to portray their teachers as underpaid while hoping no one is paying attention to the figures they are using to make their case, says one education policy expert.
“Clearly, their facts are not straight,” said Michael Van Beek, education policy director at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy.
It started when Steve Cook, the MEA’s president, said in a Detroit News op-ed that one teacher who contacted him was in his second year of teaching with a master’s degree and made $31,000 a year.
Michigan Capitol Confidential looked at the contracts of the lowest-paying school districts in the state and couldn’t find a contract that paid a second-year teacher with a master’s degree $31,000 a year.
However, in an interview with another newspaper, Doug Pratt, the MEA's spokesman, took what Cook described as the salary of one teacher and turned that $31,000 into the “average salary” of a second-year teacher with a master’s degree.
It’s hard to imagine any second-year teacher with a master’s degree earning $31,000 a year in Michigan, much less it being the statewide average. Consider that Eau Claire has the lowest average teacher’s salary in the state. The Eau Claire teachers’ contract states a second-year teacher with a master’s degree made $34,385 a year in 2010-11. And districts like the Troy School District pay a second-year teacher with a master’s degree $49,132 in 2011-12.
Neither Pratt nor Cook responded to an email seeking comment.
Pratt told the Livingston Daily News that “the average second-year Michigan teacher with a master's degree currently takes home $500 every two weeks after taxes and employee health care and pension deductions, and if he or she opts for a deduction toward child care.”
In the article, Pratt is attributed with saying that current school employees pay 3.9 percent of their salary toward retirement benefits. James Hohman, a fiscal policy analyst at the Mackinac Center, said teachers contribute on a sliding scale; up to 6.4 percent of their salary to the state pension plan and are paying another 3 percent of their salary for retiree health care. They also can pay up to 20 percent for health care costs under the new state law, but many districts negotiated contracts with lower cost-sharing. For example, that Eau Claire teacher would pay 10 percent of health care costs, or about $1,769 a year for the MESSA family plan.
Van Beek questioned Pratt’s logic of including child care costs and pension contributions when talking about how much after tax money a teacher has in discretionary income.
“It (child care costs) is like adding your grocery bill,” Van Beek said. “It’s a cost that you incur if you have children and decide to work outside the home. It’s a cost everyone incurs one way or another. If you have kids you have to take on costs to take care of them. Just like you have to eat to live, you have to buy food.”
Van Beek said that pension contribution will generate a yearly pension of about $30,000 to $40,000 during retirement and shouldn’t be considered a cost, but a savings.
“They can retire when they are 55 and have subsidized post-retirement health care benefits and have a defined-benefit pension that grows by 3 percent every year,” Van Beek said.
I see teachers’ salaries every day in North Carolina. $60,000 is not extraordinary for a teacher with about 15 years service.
That’s 6k more than they are worth.
An MS doesn't mean you are any better..or smarter. I've seen this over an over...first hand. It just means you've jumped thru the hoops...and have different letters behind your name.
I could place 12 letters behind my name...if I wanted to. Doesn't mean I know @#%#$!!
FWIW...folks thinking they want to be "teachers" ought to be researching what they can make. Of course that requires some thinking......................
You’ve got to forgive goverment educators.
Math isn’t their strong point...or English..or History..or Science...or....
An MS doesn't mean you are any better..or smarter. I've seen this over an over...first hand. It just means you've jumped thru the hoops...and have different letters behind your name.
I could place 12 letters behind my name...if I wanted to. Doesn't mean I know @#%#$!!
FWIW...folks thinking they want to be "teachers" ought to be researching what they can make. Of course that requires some thinking......................
“Union Says”
Union lies!
“... $60,000 is not extraordinary for a teacher with about 15 years...”
In our county, teachers make close to six figures after 9 years. It must depend on the state/county.
...and the dirty little secret is that if you do report $31k, you get a HUGE windfall from the IRS in the form of the ‘Earned’ Income Credit.
Below is a hundred or so salaries from my daughters school district. The only salaries I found below 40k were janitors, lunch ladies, bus drivers and first year grads were at 34k to 40k. seems that in year two of teaching you get a large raise. These union people are full of it. i removed the names and the name of the school as well. Just note this is a small county I live in. Very rural area. I’m sure when you get close to larger cities the salaries are increased.
http://www.open.georgia.gov/sta/entryPoint.aud
SUPERINTENDENT $118,055.98
GRADES 9-12 TEACHER $102,844.56
SPECIAL EDUCATION INTERRELATED $102,713.70
PRINCIPAL $102,228.98
PRINCIPAL $100,108.12
PRINCIPAL $99,523.00
ELEMENTARY COUNSELOR $98,427.14
GRADE 7 TEACHER $97,813.64
FINANCE/BUSINESS SERVICE MGR $97,154.98
SPECIAL EDUCATION INTERRELATED $95,951.00
PRINCIPAL $95,505.91
SPECIAL EDUCATION INTERRELATED $93,531.79
DEPUTY/ASSOC/ASSISTANT SUPT $92,642.04
PRINCIPAL $91,416.04
GRADE 6 TEACHER $90,011.26
PRINCIPAL $88,550.25
DEPUTY/ASSOC/ASSISTANT SUPT $88,129.98
DEPUTY/ASSOC/ASSISTANT SUPT $88,129.98
TECHNOLOGY SPECIALIST $88,129.98
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL $87,950.41
INSTRUCTIONAL SPECIALIST P-8 $87,730.54
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL $87,424.03
SPECIAL EDUCATION DIRECTOR $85,740.99
GRADE 5 TEACHER $84,794.88
PRINCIPAL $84,510.38
PRINCIPAL $83,786.05
PRINCIPAL $83,633.16
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL $83,031.68
EIP 4TH AND 5TH GRADE TEACHER $82,813.64
LITERACY COACH $82,185.80
GRADE 6 TEACHER $82,185.80
HIGH SCHOOL COUNSELOR $80,915.00
KINDERGARTEN TEACHER $80,411.76
EIP 4TH AND 5TH GRADE TEACHER $80,348.00
VOCATIONAL $79,923.00
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL $79,365.05
GRADE 2 TEACHER $79,093.84
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL $78,580.50
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL $78,256.40
HIGH SCHOOL COUNSELOR $77,503.52
GRADES 9-12 TEACHER $76,772.80
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL $76,124.13
GRADES 9-12 TEACHER $75,928.05
YOUNG FARMER TEACHER $75,869.02
LIBRARIAN/MEDIA SPECIALIST $75,272.80
GRADE 8 TEACHER $75,272.80
PRINCIPAL $75,048.37
MIDDLE SCHOOL COUNSELOR $75,038.64
GRADE 1 TEACHER $75,011.26
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL $74,413.45
VOCATIONAL $74,193.46
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL $73,955.19
GRADES 9-12 TEACHER $72,825.82
GRADES 9-12 TEACHER $72,732.29
FOOD SERVICE ADMINISTRATOR $72,530.04
GRADES 9-12 TEACHER $72,474.54
LITERACY COACH $72,400.64
GRADES 9-12 TEACHER $72,283.96
VOCATIONAL $71,875.61
GRADES 9-12 TEACHER $71,230.34
LITERACY COACH $71,225.55
INSTRUCTIONAL SPECIALIST P-8 $71,017.34
INSTRUCTIONAL SPECIALIST P-8 $70,856.60
GRADES 9-12 TEACHER $70,513.64
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL $69,734.00
GRADE 6 TEACHER $69,402.59
GIFTED ELEMENTARY TEACHER P-5 $69,220.08
VOCATIONAL $69,090.84
GRADE 5 TEACHER $68,976.14
GRADES 9-12 TEACHER $68,932.66
GRADES 9-12 TEACHER $68,897.14
MIDDLE SCHOOL EXPLOR TEACHER $68,813.80
GRADE 8 TEACHER $68,813.60
SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST $68,765.54
GRADE 2 TEACHER $68,701.14
GRADE 3 TEACHER $68,581.39
GIFTED ELEMENTARY TEACHER P-5 $68,496.00
MIDDLE SCHOOL COUNSELOR $68,475.30
INSTRUCTIONAL SPECIALIST P-8 $68,388.18
KINDERGARTEN TEACHER $68,351.14
GRADES 9-12 TEACHER $68,313.68
GRADES 9-12 TEACHER $68,258.64
KINDERGARTEN TEACHER $68,138.64
GRADES 9-12 TEACHER $68,054.28
GRADE 5 TEACHER $67,963.64
VOCATIONAL $67,813.84
INSTRUCTIONAL SPECIALIST P-8 $67,813.84
GRADES 9-12 TEACHER $67,813.64
GRADE 2 TEACHER $67,813.64
GRADE 1 TEACHER $67,813.64
GRADE 6 TEACHER $67,813.64
GRADE 2 TEACHER $67,813.64
GRADE 4 TEACHER $67,813.64
KINDERGARTEN TEACHER $67,813.64
GRADE 2 TEACHER $67,813.64
INSTRUCTIONAL SPECIALIST P-8 $67,813.64
GRADE 6 TEACHER $67,813.64
GRADES 9-12 TEACHER $67,813.48
INSTRUCTIONAL SPECIALIST P-8 $67,750.56
GRADE 5 TEACHER $67,599.30
GRADE 3 TEACHER $67,549.30
GIFTED ELEMENTARY TEACHER P-5 $67,474.30
GRADE 2 TEACHER $67,474.30
GIFTED ELEMENTARY TEACHER P-5 $67,474.30
GRADE 2 TEACHER $67,474.30
KINDERGARTEN TEACHER $67,261.67
MIDDLE SCHOOL EXPLOR TEACHER $66,725.52
SPECIAL EDUCATION INTERRELATED $66,577.96
ELEMENTARY COUNSELOR $66,569.22
LITERACY COACH $66,528.10
LITERACY COACH $66,003.10
LITERACY COACH $66,002.98
SPECIAL EDUCATION INTERRELATED $65,936.18
INSTRUCTIONAL SPECIALIST P-8 $65,838.68
GRADE 4 TEACHER $65,838.50
GRADE 4 TEACHER $65,758.99
KINDERGARTEN TEACHER $65,683.84
GIFTED ELEMENTARY TEACHER P-5 $65,508.84
KINDERGARTEN TEACHER $65,508.84
GRADE 4 TEACHER $65,508.66
LITERACY COACH $65,276.56
HIGH SCHOOL COUNSELOR $65,232.24
EARLY INTERVENTION PRIMARY TEACHER $64,945.17
GRADES 9-12 TEACHER $64,704.98
VOCATIONAL $64,379.21
SPECIAL EDUCATION INTERRELATED $64,138.60
SPECIAL EDUCATION INTERRELATED $64,109.19
INSTRUCTIONAL SPECIALIST P-8 $63,920.64
ELEMENTARY COUNSELOR $63,920.44
GRADE 7 TEACHER $63,920.44
GRADE 4 TEACHER $63,920.44
GRADE 8 TEACHER $63,920.44
ESOL TEACHER $63,920.44
GRADES 9-12 TEACHER $63,818.80
TEACHER OF SEVERE INTELLECTUAL $63,783.28
GRADE 3 TEACHER $63,750.60
GRADE 6 TEACHER $63,600.60
KINDERGARTEN TEACHER $63,600.60
GRADE 4 TEACHER $63,600.60
KINDERGARTEN TEACHER $63,600.60
GRADES 9-12 TEACHER $63,592.96
VOCATIONAL $63,348.12
LITERACY COACH $63,190.00
GRADE 5 TEACHER $63,133.16
LITERACY COACH $63,124.60
GRADE 3 TEACHER $63,118.36
GRADES 9-12 TEACHER $62,957.84
GRADES 9-12 TEACHER $62,919.60
GRADE 4 TEACHER $62,884.00
GRADE 2 TEACHER $62,437.71
SPECIAL EDUCATION INTERRELATED $62,411.26
GRADE 7 TEACHER $62,401.68
GRADES 9-12 TEACHER $62,386.32
INSTRUCTIONAL SPECIALIST P-8 $62,383.22
SPECIAL EDUCATION INTERRELATED $62,373.34
LITERACY COACH $62,182.78
SPECIAL EDUCATION INTERRELATED $62,073.34
GRADE 4 TEACHER $62,059.00
KINDERGARTEN TEACHER $62,059.00
VOCATIONAL $62,059.00
GRADES 9-12 TEACHER $62,059.00
VOCATIONAL $61,998.34
GRADE 2 TEACHER $61,748.34
TEACHER OF HEARING IMPAIRED STUDENT $61,748.34
GRADE 4 TEACHER $61,748.34
TEACHER OF ORTHOPEDIC IMPAIRED $61,748.34
LIBRARIAN/MEDIA SPECIALIST $61,638.05
GRADE 5 TEACHER $61,606.62
GRADE 2 TEACHER $61,509.32
GRADE 8 TEACHER $61,461.26
SPECIAL EDUCATION INTERRELATED $61,461.14
EIP 4TH AND 5TH GRADE TEACHER $61,176.64
GRADES 9-12 TEACHER $61,076.96
VOCATIONAL $61,038.90
GRADE 2 TEACHER $60,943.46
LIBRARIAN/MEDIA SPECIALIST $60,710.90
GRADES 9-12 TEACHER $60,663.54
GRADE 4 TEACHER $60,504.01
GRADE 7 TEACHER $60,261.26
Master’s degrees are getting pretty common out there these days.
Where I come from, this is called “bullcrap”.
Elementary ed. teachers get over $40,000 per year in my area, and this is the middle of nowhere.
Union lies!
It's time to stop giving teachers' unions the respect of listening to them as if they ever were sincere in starting a dialog with us the taxpayers. How many more times are they going to lie to us and push phony "statistics" at us.
I'll cut right to the chase for them: "give us more money and your children will get our version of education". Can't we see that their interest is not our interest? Our interests can't be realized until we first squash teachers unions. Then and only then we can genuinely educate our children.
I never even had a first time in my 40 + years including 3 years as a local Union Stewart (the worst 3 years of my life).
Not only does the top union leadership lie like a rug, every one of the grievances I had to fight from the members was based on lies.
I was young and stupid, but could also walk and chew gum at the same time and was talked into running for the local stewards position. All I can say is in that three years, every 'grievance' I was forced to file other than one, the company was 100% correct. In a couple of instances, if it were my company I would have fired the SOBs on the spot.
In most instances, it was idiots who thought that just because they were in the union, they could get everything without doing anything. I just doesn't work that way.
It was hell at the time for me, but ended up being a good experience overall. I got to see how it works, but I was damn glad when my time in the barrel was over. :~))
And the 80% rule applies. 80% of the problems came from 20% of the people. It was probably more like 95-5 in my experience.
“I lived there 1079-1981.”
And yet you don’t look a day over 300!
They might get that if they teach in Charlotte-Mecklenburg or some similar place. The rest of us don’t:
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/docs/fbs/finance/salary/schedules/2011-12schedules.pdf
Nothing like getting an MA for taking courses in bulletin board design, pop psychology, and political correctness.
At $1 they are overpaid. They aren’t even competent babysitters.
902 years is too long to live anywhere in Arkansas.
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