My child will be attending a Catholic High School next year. The teachers there do not fit the mold you have presented. As a matter of fact the majority of teachers there have advanced degrees in the subjects they teach, the teacher retention rate is >90%, and the average teacher has been ther 13 years. According to the schools recruitment materials their teachers make about 80% of what a similar public school teacher would make. They choose to accept the difference in salary because the students are there to learn and the job is more fun and rewarding.
My local high school spends $10,500 per student. I will have to spend $6,300 of my own money so that my child can attend this school. This despite living in the town with the highest property taxes in the state.
**They choose to accept the difference in salary because the students are there to learn and the job is more fun and rewarding.**
This one factor makes a huge difference for any teacher!