Klarinet Archive - Posting 000332.txt from 2002/09

From: Nick Simicich <njs@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Looking for Middle School Music Teacher in New York (Brooklyn)
Date: Thu, 19 Sep 2002 01:44:36 -0400

On Wed, 18 Sep 2002, Don Christensen wrote:

> Since there has been some writing about arts education in the public
> schools, there is another aspect: Here in New York City, for example, there
> is a SHORTAGE of qualified, certified instrumental music teachers. The
> Project Arts office has been receiving calls from various elementary,
> middle, and high schools that need teachers, and they have practically no
> one to suggest, even though the base starting salary for NYC teachers is now
> $39,000.

That might seem like a lot, but NYC is a very expensive place to live. I
used to work in Westchester, the first county north of NYC, and the
difference in salaries between someone in my then profession (Computer
Geek) from Westchester to NYC was about 3/4ths of that starting salary. I
remember someone telling me that admin assistants in NY made about that,
at one point.

http://www.missouri.edu/~econ4mp/CFE.pdf has a discussion of this. They
are working off of some figures that show a lower starting salary for
teachers than the $39,000 number. Their feeling was that NYC did well in
teacher pay overall, although it was heavily backloaded - starting salary
was low compared to other large city school districts, whereas the
compensation got much better once you had seniority.

I guess that I do not see someone being able to buy a house in NYC on a
Teacher's salary in NYC. In fact, I am not sure one could afford to rent
a nice apartment. It might be possible to commute to Northern
Westchester, but the commute will probably cost you $200/month. The paper
noted that it was hard to compare cost of living issues, however, one
might compare tax rates and average single family house (or the equivalent
apartment costs). For example, this paper noted that the Dallas starting
pay was $33,000 for the 1998-1999 school year, while, that year, NYC was
at $30,203. Texas does not have a state income tax. Generally, you do
not pay to park near your home. And so forth.

Then again, you can temp during the summer --- and the short work day
gives you time to commute.

This might be the ideal thing for someone, but I would look at the whole
picture -- I would talk to a realtor, for example.

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