Skip to main content

Money for nuthin'

There was an intersting post on I Thought a Think about possible changes the state will be making soon. I found it interesting that the salary schedule is being looked again. I always find it intersting that teacher salaries are such a huge issue... because we're so overpaid, obviously.

If you're not from Washington state, you should know that all teachers are paid the same basic wage. The "salary schedule" lists what salary at teacher would be at based upon number of credits and years teaching. COLAs are not included, and let's not get started on them. What this means is that I make pretty much the same amount as someone who lives in Seattle (with the same education and experience "steps".) Hence the reason it's being examined once again. Seattle is an expensive town and apparently, so are the Tri-cities. Other places, not so much. It seems unfair doesn't it?

Well, yes and no. The salary schedule came about because some school districts with low tax bases couldn't afford to attract good teachers. Other schools could offer much higher salaries. It was unfair. Trot out the salary schedule - the fixit to end all fixits.

Then fast-forward 20 years and the bring on the most overpriced housing market in the US. Doesn't look so fair anymore... but shit, I'm just able to live comfotable. Don't take my money just because some fool has to live in Seattle.

BTW, we're apparently still looking for a Chemistry/Physics teacher. It may not be much of a salary, but at least it ain't Seattle. Heh.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

“They Don’t Get It”

I hear that a lot these days. It used to be mostly from various teens trying to negotiate the drama unfolding in their lives as they wandered into that no-man’s land between adult and child. These days it’s from adults trying to navigate the education scene these days. So many people talking and no one listening. The other day I was reading a post by a blogger I’ve been following for several years. Before there was such a thing as “blogging.” We all know spring is IEP review season. This blogger wrote about his daughter’s. Among the various elements, there was the discussion about the state assessment tests. She did not pass. There was discussion about what this means… and why said student needed to pass this test. Would she be taking a modified test? While reading, all I could think about was what would happen to that child as she entered middle school and high school. A history of not passing the assessment test vs. teachers who will now be evaluated on how many students pass t...
Post a Comment
Read more

Summer Notes

Books to Read: New Kelly Gallagher   Make Just One Change: Teach Students to Ask Their Own Questions  by Dan Rothstein and Luz Santana  Notes for Art: Group Project for the First Day Expectations from group project exit question
Post a Comment
Read more

The Cruelest Month

I know T.S. Eliot favored April as the most cruel, but we teachers know that May is… even more so these days. Most importantly, it is the final testing month. National ‘assessments, state ‘assessments’, district ‘assessments’, school ‘assessments’… on and on. It’s impossible to actually get anything done. Toss in graduation activities, planning for the upcoming year and the 2011 bonus, lay-offs and transfers, and you have to wonder if it wouldn’t be better to save money by simply shutting down school entirely except for a few test proctors. Meanwhile, there seems an air of hopelessness permeating the education world. Plans to lay-off thousands are coming to fruition. Schools are being closed, despite protests. Charters are increasing where they can whether they should not. Unions have lost a lot ground and teachers are trying to decide if it’s even worth it any more to continue talking about education . ( not that I blame anyone for that, we all have lives to live ) For myself, I...
Post a Comment
Read more