Teacher salaries

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So to those who would say, “You knew the pay when you took the job” I would say I also knew the benefits. When those benefits are being reduced will you be the first to stand up and say, “Hey! You can’t cut those teachers’ benefits! They knew what they were getting when they took the job!”?

What are my benefits that are being reduced? I still have health insurance, sick days and personal days. My health insurance costs are more now but it’s because I carry the family plan and health insurance costs have risen everywhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think math teachers are probably the easiest teaching jobs.

The curriculum is the same every year and you just go through the book

Most people don't even grade homework anymore and I would give tests on scantrons (don't even know if they exist)

The toughest job would be elementary school. 5+ hours of new content everyday.

After 5 or so years it would get easier I guess and you could just do the same thing everyyear

This is ridiculous. No.

Curricula are changed, often significantly, every 5-7 years minimum, in each course. Nearly all better publics offer differentiated instruction, so you actually have to have at least two modified curricula available. Graded assignments are constant and Admins, parents, and students expect at least weekly updates to e-grade reporting systems (more often in HS, especially for juniors and seniors who are processing college applications). A teacher isn't by any means allowed to simply administer multiple-choice scan-grade tests, even in math - and in some courses, multiple-choice is only permissible as a testing component and not as a primary testing component. Every teacher is expected to be available for students and for parents on regular hours before -and- after school, and in HS must post their availability.

Come on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So to those who would say, “You knew the pay when you took the job” I would say I also knew the benefits. When those benefits are being reduced will you be the first to stand up and say, “Hey! You can’t cut those teachers’ benefits! They knew what they were getting when they took the job!”?

What are my benefits that are being reduced? I still have health insurance, sick days and personal days. My health insurance costs are more now but it’s because I carry the family plan and health insurance costs have risen everywhere.

In FCPS two teacher households still pay a reduced rate for healthcare premiums but the discount was greatly reduced a few years ago. To retire with full VRS benefits the years service plus age used to have to equal 80. Its now 90. New employees now have a hybrid plan instead of a full defined benefit plan. Retirement is now based on the highest average five years instead of three and COLAs have been reduced.

I could probably think of other examples.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Okay, change careers and be a teacher. Problem solved.

This!

How many teacher hating threads do we need? Don’t bitch — switch!

Oh, but then you’d have to actually work as a teacher & back up your (ignorant) words with your actions & you really know you wouldn’t last a full semester...

Many professionals are probably working at least as many hours as you all are if not more, and we aren't under a negotiated contract.

Yeah, especially in this area, I don't think there's a ton of sympathy on the hours front. I know few people who work a straight 40 hour week with no extended hours, on-call time, or emergencies that crop up on weekends/holidays/etc.

I don't hate teachers, but the ones my kids have had have been... underwhelming. Typos in stuff that comes home, a full week to respond to emails, poor communication about what we're supposed to be supporting at home (don't send me a "project's due tomorrow!" reminder if you never sent the "we have a project!" email). Part of it is that class sizes are way too large to be effective for the teachers or the kids, but, the year there were 17 kids in my DD's class? Yeah, she had the teacher two years from retirement who was doing the bare minimum to collect that pension. Her teacher this year is AMAZING and worth double whatever they pay her. Honestly, I'd like to see the pay increased to beef up the competition for the jobs and see if we could get more people like this lady.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So to those who would say, “You knew the pay when you took the job” I would say I also knew the benefits. When those benefits are being reduced will you be the first to stand up and say, “Hey! You can’t cut those teachers’ benefits! They knew what they were getting when they took the job!”?

What are my benefits that are being reduced? I still have health insurance, sick days and personal days. My health insurance costs are more now but it’s because I carry the family plan and health insurance costs have risen everywhere.

If you work for ACPS, your benefits package is about to get slashed, because the new Super is on public record stating it's too attractive. If you're not in ACPS, well, it probably won't be long before the same thing comes knocking at your door.

Funny how that stuff rarely happens in DC or MD. I wonder what the different might be?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Okay, change careers and be a teacher. Problem solved.

This!

How many teacher hating threads do we need? Don’t bitch — switch!

Oh, but then you’d have to actually work as a teacher & back up your (ignorant) words with your actions & you really know you wouldn’t last a full semester...

Many professionals are probably working at least as many hours as you all are if not more, and we aren't under a negotiated contract.

Did somebody say other professionals aren’t working as many hours or not more? I didn’t read that anywhere.

“Negotiated contract”? Do you realize you are on the “VA Public Schools” forum?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
“Negotiated contract”? Do you realize you are on the “VA Public Schools” forum?

Shhhh! You'll disturb the "evil teacher unions" narratives!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^ and it is partially revamped - all in August.

NP...so explain to me how you teach to the students you have this year vs last year? In my experience, teachers like this are super rigid and freak out when there are snow days, when they have students who have any sort of challenge, or when they have something new from the county thrown at them. There are two English teachers like this at my school. They think everyone loves them. Most people (students/teachers) do not.

It isn’t rocket science - but maybe it is. I teach up - not down. Every kids deserves to be challenged (not overwhelmed). I slightly change my lessons based on current events, snow days, etc. Since I’m prepared, this takes very little time. I’m strict but fair. If my students meet me 1/2 way, I’ll hold their hand the other 1/2, but they need to cross the finish line on their own. I’m not a dept. chair, but I share with my coworkers. No need for them to create a new lesson plan from scratch - they can use mine and modify as needed.

It sucks that many teachers guard their lessons. I mean, technically the county owns your lessons since they’ve paid you to create them (it’s part of your contracted responsibilities). But no one shares or they only share a template-not the real thing, or share as a PDF. A binder of ideas is not a lesson plan. If you work with me, you’re lucky since I do share.

Just yesterday a newbie asked me how I was going to implement the novel. I sent her my schedule, study guides, tests (with a separate answer key), and the final exam (with answer key). Our chair isn’t interested in housing stuff online, so I get the emails, and I send it in word - not PDF, so newbie can make changes and not have to reinvent the wheel.

In sum, if the teaching mindset changed, your hours and stress would lessen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
“Negotiated contract”? Do you realize you are on the “VA Public Schools” forum?

Shhhh! You'll disturb the "evil teacher unions" narratives!

Yes, but in truth too many crappy teachers can’t be fired. Instead we move them around and around and then pay their golden parachute. At least, I think they’re golden since many others in other professions only have 401k and no lifelong health benefits.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fairfax Underground has FCPS salaries listed.
Quite a few make 75k+. How is this a bad salary? They teach 3 periods and have a planning period (many teacher friends leave early or go in late - many principals allow such) 180 days a year? I know IT project managers who make the same (with 8 years experience) and work 9-630 with only 2 weeks vacation . I think Ryan and the others in Richmond need to stop acting so entitled. If you don’t want to teach, please quit. I’ll gladly take the career switcher program and take your job. And teachers don’t have shutdowns, yearly RIFs, and staying late as part of the culture.

Nonsensical.

The starting salaries are in the 50-58 range in Alexandria and Arlington. It takes years, normally a decade or more, to get to the mid 70s. The employee benefits have become high/cost and the pension is fully contributory. The actual work day during the school years is easily 9 hours a day. I know hundreds of teachers and I know not one who has a regular course schedule of nothing more than three (3) classes per day. The actual teacher workday year is more than 180 and actually over 190 in every NoVa locality. OP, your post is untrue.

I really don't think $50-58K is a bad starting salary. And yes, everyone knows how much time teachers put in outside of class and their school day - we hear it all the time. But the fact remains, they still get a lot of benefits like frequent days off, spring break, long summer break, and a schedule that generally matches their kids' school schedules so they can be home more easily when their kids are home, plus maternity leave for the women, plus sick leave.

The primary issue in Richmond isn't the starting salaries in northern virginia. Take a look at the rest of the state.

Maternity leave?? My husband gets more parental leave than I do and I'm the one doing all the work!!! We qualify for FMLA- which is unpaid!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
“Negotiated contract”? Do you realize you are on the “VA Public Schools” forum?

Shhhh! You'll disturb the "evil teacher unions" narratives!

Yes, but in truth too many crappy teachers can’t be fired. Instead we move them around and around and then pay their golden parachute. At least, I think they’re golden since many others in other professions only have 401k and no lifelong health benefits.

“...can be fired”.

What do you consider a “golden parachute”? Not a complaint here, but what percentages and numbers do you think are paid out? How much do teachers contribute? Can you explain the state’s hybrid plan? How much do you think retired teachers pay in monthly premiums in order to keep those lifelong health benefits? Surely you don’t think they’re “free” to the retiree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
“Negotiated contract”? Do you realize you are on the “VA Public Schools” forum?

Shhhh! You'll disturb the "evil teacher unions" narratives!

Yes, but in truth too many crappy teachers can’t be fired. Instead we move them around and around and then pay their golden parachute. At least, I think they’re golden since many others in other professions only have 401k and no lifelong health benefits.

That lifelong healthcare benefit costs a FCPS retiree between $500 and $680 a month for an individual.

[Anonymous]

^^ that is not bad!

401k means you’re 100% responsible for your financial future. And please, stop quoting 200k salaries. None of my friends with masters degrees pull in that money! Most started in the 50s and now make in the 80s or 90s. Stop acting like your pay is too low, your benefits are not that good, etc. truth is government and state employees have golden parachutes compared to private sector. Most private sector folks aren’t raking in 6-digits. Maybe we should privatize more things and stop expecting hardworking taxpayers to foot the bill for your benefits when you already thinks they are too low.

One thing the shutdown showed us is that nonessential folks are really non essential. We don’t need them on the taxpayer payroll. So, stop complaining, or before you know it, your pension will be that like the folks at Enron and you’ll be getting RIFd yearly, and on queue with hundreds of other well-educated folks looking for a job with benefits.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^ that is not bad!

401k means you’re 100% responsible for your financial future. And please, stop quoting 200k salaries. None of my friends with masters degrees pull in that money! Most started in the 50s and now make in the 80s or 90s. Stop acting like your pay is too low, your benefits are not that good, etc. truth is government and state employees have golden parachutes compared to private sector. Most private sector folks aren’t raking in 6-digits. Maybe we should privatize more things and stop expecting hardworking taxpayers to foot the bill for your benefits when you already thinks they are too low.

One thing the shutdown showed us is that nonessential folks are really non essential. We don’t need them on the taxpayer payroll. So, stop complaining, or before you know it, your pension will be that like the folks at Enron and you’ll be getting RIFd yearly, and on queue with hundreds of other well-educated folks looking for a job with benefits.

I can go back and read the thread to look for it, but who quoted 200k salaries?

I never said my pay is too low.

Who is complaining? Nothing in my previous post that you pointed to was a complaint. I never said benefits were too low. What I put in bold sounds like a complaint, but hey...you’re friends knew what their pay and benefits would be when they took their jobs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^ that is not bad!

401k means you’re 100% responsible for your financial future. And please, stop quoting 200k salaries. None of my friends with masters degrees pull in that money! Most started in the 50s and now make in the 80s or 90s. Stop acting like your pay is too low, your benefits are not that good, etc. truth is government and state employees have golden parachutes compared to private sector. Most private sector folks aren’t raking in 6-digits. Maybe we should privatize more things and stop expecting hardworking taxpayers to foot the bill for your benefits when you already thinks they are too low.

One thing the shutdown showed us is that nonessential folks are really non essential. We don’t need them on the taxpayer payroll. So, stop complaining, or before you know it, your pension will be that like the folks at Enron and you’ll be getting RIFd yearly, and on queue with hundreds of other well-educated folks looking for a job with benefits.

So your job sucks & that means no one should have any more than you! "Hardworking taxpayers" certainly don't include the fat-cat-lazy-ass teachers, right? And all of those non-essential government employees around here just suck on the government teat? Right? Right....