Area Private School Teacher Shortage?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I ask again for specifics regarding private and public school teacher salaries. I know a few couples with both working as high school teachers and love their jobs and do not complain about pay, but none live in high cost areas such as NYC, DC, San Francisco, etc.

I make $112k at the PhD/Master’s +60 level with 20 years experience. Sounds decent, but friends in this area with my same first master’s (not in education) and no second grad degree are making $20-50k more than I do.

DH was a career changer as well. He left teaching in 2021 and resumed engineering. The instant income jump was eye opening.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All those years DCUM parents ranted about one thing or another, always ending in, "If the teachers don't like it, they can go do something else!"

Now they have, and those control freak parents have no answer. I haven't heard about any privates raising pay enough to make a difference. The well-paid administrators just keep doing the same old.

I left privates during COVID and moved to a DC charter for much better pay (still barely enough to live on, but that's not an issue for me) and sterling management that still surprises me every day for their genuine commitment to education over money and status.

The chickens have come home to roost. This was a very long time in the making.

Would you be willing to share specific salary amounts ?

I have no idea what teachers are paid.

That's part of the problem. Parents write a check for $50K and assume that a good part of it goes to the teachers. Not necessarily. Most private education schools and companies direct most of the money upward.

Roughly speaking, it's the difference between mid-5 figures in private to higher 5-figures in charters and public.

If you wanted to start a private with the best teachers around, start them all at $100K and watch the stars flock in. All a school has to do is eat their profit margin somewhere else to be something truly special.

But they don't, as far as I know.

Private schools don’t have a profit margin (except maybe BASIS?).

You could argue that admin pay should be reduced, but most HOS of schools main job is fundraising so that may be a net zero gain.

Facilities are expensive that’s true.

Resource allocation is management's choice, whether to profits (and bonuses) for some organizations or facilities and endowments for others. But they all skimp on the teachers as much as possible. If a school could have 10 better teachers instead of a new scoreboard in the gym, which should take priority?

We know what usually does. Teachers see that and often decide that their employer is not worth investing in long-term.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All those years DCUM parents ranted about one thing or another, always ending in, "If the teachers don't like it, they can go do something else!"

Now they have, and those control freak parents have no answer. I haven't heard about any privates raising pay enough to make a difference. The well-paid administrators just keep doing the same old.

I left privates during COVID and moved to a DC charter for much better pay (still barely enough to live on, but that's not an issue for me) and sterling management that still surprises me every day for their genuine commitment to education over money and status.

The chickens have come home to roost. This was a very long time in the making.

Would you be willing to share specific salary amounts ?

I have no idea what teachers are paid.

Hi, I'm in a public school in the midwest. I have a masters plus 15 additional credits, 22 years experience and I make 95K. My spouse also teachers in a public school (different district). He has two masters, 14 years experience. He makes 100K. I was offered a job in a lovely little private school (independent, non religious) near me last year, but it could only offer me 60K and of course no pension. I had to turn it down. I could have taught more in the way that I believe in there, but I couldn't take the loss. By the time I retire, I'll be making closer to 120 and my spouse will probably hit about 130.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Significantly increase the salary. Currently not enough money for all the bs they go through.

This. Private schools are going to have a tougher time recruiting teachers due to lack of competitive salaries. These teachers can make way more in public, or if they are totally over/burnt out of teaching, find a new career path. Amazon has openings for numerous positions that pay more than teacher salaries even in public with better benefits.

I teach at a K-8 (nonreligious) and almost all of our vacancies this year were filled by teachers coming from public.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Covid also disproportionately affected working women, and teachers are mostly women. The burden of a stressful demanding job during a crisis and the demands of their own families/children, who may have been virtual for extended periods, frequent closures, etc. It's just not worth it to stay in the workforce for meager pay and those increased demands.

Also, Private school teachers don't have unions to protect their interests.

Stop blaming covid. Most privates were open all last year and many the prior year. The issue is pay and the environment.

I agree. I'm just pointing out the added stressors. Private schools were open, but it was harder teach, especially in the 20-21 school year. And many teachers have children who did not attend school ok person.

That goes back to the salary. Staff kids should go for free or very reduced cost.

Thought they did?!

They do at my school. Our HOS is very good to us in that regard. It’s not true everywhere.

[Anonymous]

Yes my friend is an experienced teacher and moved here that summer. Had several offers as soon as she started interviewing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All those years DCUM parents ranted about one thing or another, always ending in, "If the teachers don't like it, they can go do something else!"

Now they have, and those control freak parents have no answer. I haven't heard about any privates raising pay enough to make a difference. The well-paid administrators just keep doing the same old.

I left privates during COVID and moved to a DC charter for much better pay (still barely enough to live on, but that's not an issue for me) and sterling management that still surprises me every day for their genuine commitment to education over money and status.

The chickens have come home to roost. This was a very long time in the making.

Would you be willing to share specific salary amounts ?

I have no idea what teachers are paid.

I moved to the area and taught at a “big” private, Masters+30, 11 years experience and made upper 60s. Went to public after 2 years and increased my pay by $20k. Most of the private teachers I know come from or are married to money OR are young and OK with having multiple roommates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All those years DCUM parents ranted about one thing or another, always ending in, "If the teachers don't like it, they can go do something else!"

Now they have, and those control freak parents have no answer. I haven't heard about any privates raising pay enough to make a difference. The well-paid administrators just keep doing the same old.

I left privates during COVID and moved to a DC charter for much better pay (still barely enough to live on, but that's not an issue for me) and sterling management that still surprises me every day for their genuine commitment to education over money and status.

The chickens have come home to roost. This was a very long time in the making.

It’s a class issue- many parents, esp at expensive privates, see teachers basically the same as fast-food workers and grocery cashiers and get INCREDIBLY bothered when folks stand up for themselves. Many of these parents will claim to want well-educated, experienced teachers but what they really want is someone to sit down and shut up and be happy to babysit their kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All those years DCUM parents ranted about one thing or another, always ending in, "If the teachers don't like it, they can go do something else!"

Now they have, and those control freak parents have no answer. I haven't heard about any privates raising pay enough to make a difference. The well-paid administrators just keep doing the same old.

I left privates during COVID and moved to a DC charter for much better pay (still barely enough to live on, but that's not an issue for me) and sterling management that still surprises me every day for their genuine commitment to education over money and status.

The chickens have come home to roost. This was a very long time in the making.

It’s a class issue- many parents, esp at expensive privates, see teachers basically the same as fast-food workers and grocery cashiers and get INCREDIBLY bothered when folks stand up for themselves. Many of these parents will claim to want well-educated, experienced teachers but what they really want is someone to sit down and shut up and be happy to babysit their kids.

In ancient and medieval times, the truly rich and powerful would literally hire the best teachers and scholars to educate their kids. If I had many millions and kids (nope on both counts), I would look for a school that did just that plus offering some socializing experience. Instead, parents write checks to big institutional names and have little or no idea what goes on inside those organizations, what people are paid, could better teachers be hired, etc.

The antics of the ultra-rich can be quite comical sometimes. Part of DCUM's unintentional entertainment factor.

[Anonymous]

Most of the private school teachers I have known here come from family money or have a spouse with money, or they switch to public.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All those years DCUM parents ranted about one thing or another, always ending in, "If the teachers don't like it, they can go do something else!"

Now they have, and those control freak parents have no answer. I haven't heard about any privates raising pay enough to make a difference. The well-paid administrators just keep doing the same old.

I left privates during COVID and moved to a DC charter for much better pay (still barely enough to live on, but that's not an issue for me) and sterling management that still surprises me every day for their genuine commitment to education over money and status.

The chickens have come home to roost. This was a very long time in the making.

It’s a class issue- many parents, esp at expensive privates, see teachers basically the same as fast-food workers and grocery cashiers and get INCREDIBLY bothered when folks stand up for themselves. Many of these parents will claim to want well-educated, experienced teachers but what they really want is someone to sit down and shut up and be happy to babysit their kids.

My kid goes to one of the expensive privates. I’m UMC and am not like this, thank goodness l don’t get the feeling from the teachers that they think the way you do, they seem to love their jobs. I can tell you his previous public school teacher didn’t know him half as well as his private school teachers and was crazy burnt out during COVID 2020-2021, she cried in our last PTC before we left - so did l we were all so overwhelmed. It wasn’t confrontational, more like just letting it all out for both of us. I felt so bad for her. The ratios are so much better at the private school. He’s doing much better academically which has in turn helped him socially and emotionally.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All those years DCUM parents ranted about one thing or another, always ending in, "If the teachers don't like it, they can go do something else!"

Now they have, and those control freak parents have no answer. I haven't heard about any privates raising pay enough to make a difference. The well-paid administrators just keep doing the same old.

I left privates during COVID and moved to a DC charter for much better pay (still barely enough to live on, but that's not an issue for me) and sterling management that still surprises me every day for their genuine commitment to education over money and status.

The chickens have come home to roost. This was a very long time in the making.

It’s a class issue- many parents, esp at expensive privates, see teachers basically the same as fast-food workers and grocery cashiers and get INCREDIBLY bothered when folks stand up for themselves. Many of these parents will claim to want well-educated, experienced teachers but what they really want is someone to sit down and shut up and be happy to babysit their kids.

My kid goes to one of the expensive privates. I’m UMC and am not like this, thank goodness l don’t get the feeling from the teachers that they think the way you do, they seem to love their jobs. I can tell you his previous public school teacher didn’t know him half as well as his private school teachers and was crazy burnt out during COVID 2020-2021, she cried in our last PTC before we left - so did l we were all so overwhelmed. It wasn’t confrontational, more like just letting it all out for both of us. I felt so bad for her. The ratios are so much better at the private school. He’s doing much better academically which has in turn helped him socially and emotionally.

Both are true. Teachers love the smaller classes and the ability to get to know their students and it can be a really positive experience. Some parents treat the teacher like absolute crap, and if their child is struggling either academically or behaviorally believe that it can’t be anything other than the teacher’s fault- their child is perfect and brilliant- and get really nasty. These parents want their children to have excellent, experienced teachers but then when the teacher tells them something they don’t want to hear, they dismiss the teacher’s expertise and act like the teacher is incompetent, has it in for their child or both. Dealing with these folks is exhausting and takes a toll.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All those years DCUM parents ranted about one thing or another, always ending in, "If the teachers don't like it, they can go do something else!"

Now they have, and those control freak parents have no answer. I haven't heard about any privates raising pay enough to make a difference. The well-paid administrators just keep doing the same old.

I left privates during COVID and moved to a DC charter for much better pay (still barely enough to live on, but that's not an issue for me) and sterling management that still surprises me every day for their genuine commitment to education over money and status.

The chickens have come home to roost. This was a very long time in the making.

It’s a class issue- many parents, esp at expensive privates, see teachers basically the same as fast-food workers and grocery cashiers and get INCREDIBLY bothered when folks stand up for themselves. Many of these parents will claim to want well-educated, experienced teachers but what they really want is someone to sit down and shut up and be happy to babysit their kids.

My kid goes to one of the expensive privates. I’m UMC and am not like this, thank goodness l don’t get the feeling from the teachers that they think the way you do, they seem to love their jobs. I can tell you his previous public school teacher didn’t know him half as well as his private school teachers and was crazy burnt out during COVID 2020-2021, she cried in our last PTC before we left - so did l we were all so overwhelmed. It wasn’t confrontational, more like just letting it all out for both of us. I felt so bad for her. The ratios are so much better at the private school. He’s doing much better academically which has in turn helped him socially and emotionally.

Both are true. Teachers love the smaller classes and the ability to get to know their students and it can be a really positive experience. Some parents treat the teacher like absolute crap, and if their child is struggling either academically or behaviorally believe that it can’t be anything other than the teacher’s fault- their child is perfect and brilliant- and get really nasty. These parents want their children to have excellent, experienced teachers but then when the teacher tells them something they don’t want to hear, they dismiss the teacher’s expertise and act like the teacher is incompetent, has it in for their child or both. Dealing with these folks is exhausting and takes a toll.

That does sound exhausting, sorry. I’m one of the people who have accepted my child isn’t brilliant, but he’s a great kid in his own way and will be fine.

[Anonymous]

DCPS Teacher - approx $103,000

No. I do not work during the summer. I also have off for Christmas break, February break, and Spring break. I work very hard but have plenty of time to myself.

When I was younger, I tutored after school and worked during the summers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DCPS Teacher - approx $103,000

No. I do not work during the summer. I also have off for Christmas break, February break, and Spring break. I work very hard but have plenty of time to myself.

When I was younger, I tutored after school and worked during the summers.

how many years have you taught?