Study Reveals FCPS Teacher Career Salaries $142K Below Average of Regional Peers

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the article is misleading. You can selectively apply information to achieve any policy goal. DC teachers are the highest paid in the area. Any teacher in the suburbs can say that their salary is below the DC levels. What if the article stated that Fairfax teachers are overpaid because they make more than teachers in Loudon, Prince William Stafford, and Facquer county and are among the highest paid teachers in the state of Virginia? Some teachers I know in Arlington talk about switching to Fairfax because they have long commutes and would rather take a lower salary to love closer to their workplace.

They're not making more than those in Loudoun and PW.

I'm ok with my salary being lower than DCPS. You couldn't pay me enough to teach in DC, but I believe those high salaries are very necessary in order to staff DC schools. I make almost $10K less than teachers with the same experience in Arlington and Alexandria, and moving to one of those counties could mean a much better commute. I love my current school, but I'm definitely tempted to make the move.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My SIL is a 4th grade teacher in a Long Island, NY school district. She's been at her job for about 20 years, is in her mid 40s and makes a salary of $125K/year (plus benefits). That's more than I make as an engineer with the same experience. I sometimes wonder if I made the right choice.

My parents live on LI. Their taxes for the same price house as ours is 3X. No thanks.

Nobody is saying a teacher here with 20 years should make $125k. It's about getting the middle scale salaries more in line with surrounding districts and that's still a far cry from 6 figures,

Are you ok with the proposed increase in salary by FCPS for this year?

I'm ok with an increase, but nothing specific has been proposed yet (unless you know something I don't).

I believe it's .62% and a step.

That's what they received for 2015-2016. Nothing has been proposed for 2016-2017.

The $100 million deficit regarding the budget shortfall was based on a step increase and a 1.5 % cola. Is this about a 4.5% pay increase? No official proposal has been announced yet.

[Anonymous]

I don't understand why people choose teaching as a career if they dislike the working conditions and the pay? I have a lot of friends who are teachers and when they get together all they do is bitch about work. It gets old listening to it. I don't feel the need to burden my friends with the day to day complaints about my job.

Teachers as a collective enjoy complaining about their work and they are very vocal about not being paid enough. Teachers also have this misconception they are the only ones working hard. We as a society feed this negativity on their part and continually tell them they aren't valued, they don't make enough, they work too much. But what would be fair pay? If we gave them all $125K annual salary I still don't think they would feel adequately compensated.

But my question is this, what person ever thinks they are paid enough for what they do? We all want more money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand why people choose teaching as a career if they dislike the working conditions and the pay? I have a lot of friends who are teachers and when they get together all they do is bitch about work. It gets old listening to it. I don't feel the need to burden my friends with the day to day complaints about my job.

Teachers as a collective enjoy complaining about their work and they are very vocal about not being paid enough. Teachers also have this misconception they are the only ones working hard. We as a society feed this negativity on their part and continually tell them they aren't valued, they don't make enough, they work too much. But what would be fair pay? If we gave them all $125K annual salary I still don't think they would feel adequately compensated.

But my question is this, what person ever thinks they are paid enough for what they do? We all want more money.

I am a teacher and I actually agree with you. I get tired of all the complaining during lunch, too!

I am frustrated by the fact that if I had looked in Arlington when I got a teaching job 15 years ago, I would be making a lot more now. I am very happy at my school in FCPS which is why I don't really consider leaving, but it is annoying that just 10 miles away, teachers are making so much more for the same work.

[Anonymous]

Our relative works for Fairfax County year round and makes $75,000 for 18 years of experience. There is no "Save Fairfax County Employees" petition or advocacy group to speak for him. Fairfax County raises were lower than teachers last year. Fairfax County and FCPS teachers are lucky that they still have a pension system in place. The salary increases should be similar to other Fairfax County employees, not just Arlington teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand why people choose teaching as a career if they dislike the working conditions and the pay? I have a lot of friends who are teachers and when they get together all they do is bitch about work. It gets old listening to it. I don't feel the need to burden my friends with the day to day complaints about my job.

Teachers as a collective enjoy complaining about their work and they are very vocal about not being paid enough. Teachers also have this misconception they are the only ones working hard. We as a society feed this negativity on their part and continually tell them they aren't valued, they don't make enough, they work too much. But what would be fair pay? If we gave them all $125K annual salary I still don't think they would feel adequately compensated.

But my question is this, what person ever thinks they are paid enough for what they do? We all want more money.

Really? Lawyers love to complain about their jobs, or quit and change careers or stay home. Doctors love to complain about how everything is harder now, more patients and less time, the money is gone, etc. But it does seem as if teachers have it a bit worse -- low pay and impossible administration.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand why people choose teaching as a career if they dislike the working conditions and the pay?

Because they believe in the cause of educating every child.

[Anonymous]

I work in an urban district (not DC) and I honestly had no idea how bad the conditions were here. Rats, poor plumbing, daily heating issues, etc. I understand now why urban districts like mine pay more. I bring in my own TP just in case. I also bring in my own paper towels, wipes for the desks, hand soap, tissues, white board cleaner. I also buy my own copy paper when we run out (usually in April), notebooks, scissors, pencils, dry erase markers, glue sticks, etc etc. We also joke that the higher salary we get goes to these things and alcohol. Do I regret choosing education? Some days I do. I can't afford to buy a home for myself and my DD. I'll never be able to do that. Every year this job gets harder and harder and what we do never seems to be enough. I visited a friend in a wealthy suburban public school and was in awe of all of their supplies. They didn't even have to buy them! Copy paper in all colors and sizes from floor to ceiling as well as construction paper in every shade. All free for the taking. We are given one box of copy paper to last for 2 quarters. Do I complain? Sometimes, when it gets to be overwhelming. But so do my friends who are nurses and social workers and even lawyers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our relative works for Fairfax County year round and makes $75,000 for 18 years of experience. There is no "Save Fairfax County Employees" petition or advocacy group to speak for him. Fairfax County raises were lower than teachers last year. Fairfax County and FCPS teachers are lucky that they still have a pension system in place. The salary increases should be similar to other Fairfax County employees, not just Arlington teachers.

You're right, it should. For some reason teachers are not considered county employees for the purposes of raises and benefits. Most of the time this does not benefit them, however.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
My SIL is a 4th grade teacher in a Long Island, NY school district. She's been at her job for about 20 years, is in her mid 40s and makes a salary of $125K/year (plus benefits). That's more than I make as an engineer with the same experience. I sometimes wonder if I made the right choice.


My parents live on LI. Their taxes for the same price house as ours is 3X. No thanks.


Nobody is saying a teacher here with 20 years should make $125k. It's about getting the middle scale salaries more in line with surrounding districts and that's still a far cry from 6 figures,

This. I am in my 27th year of teaching in FCPS. I am not even on the longevity part of the pay scale and at this rate will never get up to one of those steps. There were many years when steps were not given. Teachers have been put last when money is tight and new teachers know that is how Fairfax County works. I will definitely never make 6 figures before I retire (not even close). I checked my retirement estimate and it will be less than 50 percent of what I make so it is doubtful that I can continue to live in Fairfax County in retirement. The place I have given so much to will no longer be my home. And maybe that's okay, but it does say something about how teachers are valued in this community.

And to those who say that Fairfax has "great programs", yes, I agree. But how great can a program be if there is not a great teacher to run it? Or if there is no continuity to keep the program going? Programs are built by people who stay to build them.

I am an FCPS teacher and I am confused by this. I have been teaching since 1999 and I am listed at step 16 which is correct - I have been teaching for 16 years. I don't understand why if you've been teaching for 27 years you are not at the longevity part yet. What step are you?

That's not me, but I know there were years when they skipped steps. Lots of years. They say they caught everyone up, but I'm not sure that's true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our relative works for Fairfax County year round and makes $75,000 for 18 years of experience. There is no "Save Fairfax County Employees" petition or advocacy group to speak for him. Fairfax County raises were lower than teachers last year. Fairfax County and FCPS teachers are lucky that they still have a pension system in place. The salary increases should be similar to other Fairfax County employees, not just Arlington teachers.

I thought County employees got a 2.3% raise.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our relative works for Fairfax County year round and makes $75,000 for 18 years of experience. There is no "Save Fairfax County Employees" petition or advocacy group to speak for him. Fairfax County raises were lower than teachers last year. Fairfax County and FCPS teachers are lucky that they still have a pension system in place. The salary increases should be similar to other Fairfax County employees, not just Arlington teachers.

I thought County employees got a 2.3% raise.

Didn't last year's teachers get a step and a 0.62% raise which equaled about 3.62%

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our relative works for Fairfax County year round and makes $75,000 for 18 years of experience. There is no "Save Fairfax County Employees" petition or advocacy group to speak for him. Fairfax County raises were lower than teachers last year. Fairfax County and FCPS teachers are lucky that they still have a pension system in place. The salary increases should be similar to other Fairfax County employees, not just Arlington teachers.

I thought County employees got a 2.3% raise.

Didn't last year's teachers get a step and a 0.62% raise which equaled about 3.62%

Did some county employees also receive step? I hate to pit one group against another. There are years when county employees receive higher raises and years when the school employees receive more. Do we keep going back comparing one to another?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand why people choose teaching as a career if they dislike the working conditions and the pay? I have a lot of friends who are teachers and when they get together all they do is bitch about work. It gets old listening to it. I don't feel the need to burden my friends with the day to day complaints about my job.

Teachers as a collective enjoy complaining about their work and they are very vocal about not being paid enough. Teachers also have this misconception they are the only ones working hard. We as a society feed this negativity on their part and continually tell them they aren't valued, they don't make enough, they work too much. But what would be fair pay? If we gave them all $125K annual salary I still don't think they would feel adequately compensated.

But my question is this, what person ever thinks they are paid enough for what they do? We all want more money.

Really? Lawyers love to complain about their jobs, or quit and change careers or stay home. Doctors love to complain about how everything is harder now, more patients and less time, the money is gone, etc. But it does seem as if teachers have it a bit worse -- low pay and impossible administration.

I don't know that other professions have people outside of their field thinking they know how to do and telling them how to do their jobs.

Many time people see them as complaints, but a lot of the comments teachers make are made to refute misconceptions about the job brought up by somebody else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand why people choose teaching as a career if they dislike the working conditions and the pay? I have a lot of friends who are teachers and when they get together all they do is bitch about work. It gets old listening to it. I don't feel the need to burden my friends with the day to day complaints about my job.

Teachers as a collective enjoy complaining about their work and they are very vocal about not being paid enough. Teachers also have this misconception they are the only ones working hard. We as a society feed this negativity on their part and continually tell them they aren't valued, they don't make enough, they work too much. But what would be fair pay? If we gave them all $125K annual salary I still don't think they would feel adequately compensated.

But my question is this, what person ever thinks they are paid enough for what they do? We all want more money.

Really? Lawyers love to complain about their jobs, or quit and change careers or stay home. Doctors love to complain about how everything is harder now, more patients and less time, the money is gone, etc. But it does seem as if teachers have it a bit worse -- low pay and impossible administration.

I don't know that other professions have people outside of their field thinking they know how to do and telling them how to do their jobs.

Many time people see them as complaints, but a lot of the comments teachers make are made to refute misconceptions about the job brought up by somebody else.

This thread is specifically discussing pay. It's discussing a study done to compare teacher's salaries across the region. No one has ever bothered to do a study of pay across the US much less the region for my job position or field. Public School teachers are public employees with a lot of interaction with the community at the schools and also because of taxes to fund their jobs. Their job also gets a lot of publicity such as the article referred to here so many people are more aware of the current issues facing teachers than other professions. This is why they get a lot of comments from non-teachers. People make the same types of comments about police officers and politicians.