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

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

How much did FCPS pay this consulting firm to run this study? They are always able to find the money to hire pricey consultants.


Right, it's much better to save the money on studies and just complain about low salaries without any data to back them up. FCPS would be much more successful advocating for better teacher pay that way. We'd all be so persuaded.

It's a valid question. How hard is it to gather this information? Most of it is public record. Just how much analysis does it take? To pay a consultant for something like this seems a little ridiculous.

If the school system produced the numbers, would people believe them? Maybe that's why they needed a third party report.

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

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,

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

they have long commutes and would rather take a lower salary to love closer to their workplace.

That's why teachers are also moving to Loudoun. I'd bet that teachers moving to Arlington also are not increasing their commutes. They may have a spouse who works closer in and they may live closer in. Arlington is more expensive.

[Anonymous]

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?

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

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

What is the proposed increase?

[Anonymous]

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?

[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,

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).

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

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.

[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?

Not the PP, but I have 23 years and I'm on step 21. The poster above could be just shy of the first longevity step.

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

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,

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?

Not the PP, but I have 23 years and I'm on step 21. The poster above could be just shy of the first longevity step.

OK, I guess I just wonder how I am still where I am supposed to be at step 16. Did they forget to stop the step for me for some reason??