Klarinet Archive - Posting 001079.txt from 1998/05

From: Roger Garrett <rgarrett@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: [kl] Re; Allocation of Educational Spending - Not Salaries
Date: Tue, 19 May 1998 07:33:47 -0400

On Tue, 19 May 1998, Gene Nibbelin wrote:
> For example: A teacher with 5 years experience makes about $35,000 per
> year including fringe benefits and has a class size of 25 students for an
> annual per student teacher cost of $1,400. And published figures put the
> annual per student costs at approximately $9,700. Thus, there are $8,300
> in annual administrative costs and - to be fair - building expenses. The
> outrage in this is the fact that only 14.4% of the annual per student cost
> goes to the teachers.
>
> You folks on the list know if this is a typical situation or not, but I
> imagine that it applies to many, many school districts. As should be
> obvious, I am on the side of the teachers in this matter.
>
> As to relative salaries, education vs private sector, I refer you to the
> effects of supply and demand on wages in Economics 101.

Gene's figures are fairly accurate for several states that I have worked
in. However, a consideration in the salary of teachers that cannot be
left out is that they are, as a general rule, hired on a nine month,
continuing contract. What this means is that, after 1-3 years, they are
tenured and their annual contract runs between September and May. They
are not paid for the months for which they are not teaching.....even
though they may agree to have the checks spread throughout the 12 month
year.

If a person in the private sector makes ~$47,000 after five years at 12
months a year (2 weeks paid vacation) it would be equivalent to a
teacher's salary of $35,000 at 9 months a year with Christmas Break,
Spring Break, and various other days off. Beyond that, most teacher
benefits, as a result of teacher unions, are quite nice compared to that
of the private sector.

Finally, the issue of tenure is a big one - in the private sector you get
30 days to 60 days notice. In teaching, you are hired for life unless you
do something illegal or if there is a clause that allows for your release
because of downsizing.

I am not a fan of administrator's salaries......but most of them are on a
12 month contract and do not have tenure. When considering dollar
figures, it is importanat to include these issues.

I agree with Gene, we have too many administrative folks drawing an annual
salary that is too big.

Roger Garrett
IWU

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