Why is teacher pay so low in AZ? (Eloy, Show Low: homes, high school)

[Kid Ashbury]

Originally Posted by Voebe

mod cut - against TOS to alter another poster's quote

Fixed for accuracy.

[veritased]

Can someone describe the current teachers union situation here in AZ?

In California, it's insane. I don't think teachers get paid what they need to live in the cities, but they do get one HUGE concession. After two years, they get tenure, yes just two years. And they can't be fired unless literally they commit and are convicted of a felony. You just can't get rid of a bad teacher there, the K-12 is replete with harmful teachers, and it's why those with $$$ send kids to local private schools where the system is for profit and merit based.

[chaparrito]

There is no "teachers union situation" in AZ. Arizona is a "right to work" state. Some districts have collective bargaining agreements with local chapters of the NEA or AFT to represent the teachers in those particular districts, but that is by local choice. This is a big part of the answer to this thread's original question.

[chaparrito]

Originally Posted by ringler24

The starting teacher salary in my school is 45k

What school is that please?

[KurtAZ]

CUSD they start at $44,880 + Starting pay is going to vary by districts because (and this is the sticking point) the District sets the teacher pay scale, not the State. Yelling at the State for more money doesn't mean the district is going to give anyone raises.

CUSD Teacher Schedule

[SFBayBoomer]

AZCENTRAL.COM posted an interesting story last year.

Yuma teacher doubles salary by leaving Arizona to teach in California

"Arizona educators increasingly fled the state between 2014 to 2016 for similar jobs in neighboring California, Colorado, Nevada and New Mexico, according to U.S. Census data compiled by The Arizona Republic. "

https://www.azcentral.com/story/news...pay/471758002/

[KurtAZ]

Originally Posted by SFBayBoomer

AZCENTRAL.COM posted an interesting story last year.

Yuma teacher doubles salary by leaving Arizona to teach in California

"Arizona educators increasingly fled the state between 2014 to 2016 for similar jobs in neighboring California, Colorado, Nevada and New Mexico, according to U.S. Census data compiled by The Arizona Republic. "

https://www.azcentral.com/story/news...pay/471758002/

Yup...teachers can move to neighboring states for more money. Some even have sign-on bonuses.

[DKM]

Originally Posted by CaliRestoration

California Public schools are some of the worst in the country. What exactly are paying MORE for?

Sure on average they rank low because of the high number of immigrant families in the state. There are still some of the very best public school districts in the country here. Our local high school has a 97% 4 year matriculation rate. That's better than any non selective high school in AZ.

[jdhpa]

Originally Posted by DKM

Sure on average they rank low because of the high number of immigrant families in the state.

Paying teachers more won't change this.

Originally Posted by DKM

There are still some of the very best public school districts in the country here. Our local high school has a 97% 4 year matriculation rate.

Do you believe the amount teachers are paid affects this materially? Is the rate 97% mainly because of the teachers - and the students would do just as well regardless of their parents' attitude toward education, or is the 97% mainly because of the parents?

Originally Posted by DKM

That's better than any non selective high school in AZ.

By selective I assume you mean there is no application to get in, they take whoever is in their district. But there is another selection going on - who lives in the district. A district with a reputation for having 'good' schools will attract parents who value education and want 'good' schools for their children. Over time the school's reputation as being 'good' will go up, reinforcing the cycle. So it's self-selective rather than application-selective, but it is very selective.

There is no magic in education. Teachers present information. If the students 'get it' from that presentation, great. If they don't, it's up to the parents to help their children understand it, either themselves or with tutoring. There aren't enough hours in a week for teachers to give much individual help to their students.

My kids go to a very 'good' school. All of the kids I know from their school are tutored outside of class (including mine).

I think people have cause and effect backwards. It isn't [higher pay => better teachers => students learning more => 'good' schools]. It's [parents who value education => students learning more => higher taxes for 'good' schools => higher pay].

Are some teachers better than others? Sure. Does it make a difference in student achievement? Probably some marginal difference for some kids. Is it the difference between 'good' schools and 'not good' schools? No.

I think your last sentence really nails the crux of the matter. Higher taxes don't make schools better. They make school districts more selective about who lives in the district, and that selection leads to better average student outcomes.

[veritased]

Originally Posted by SFBayBoomer

AZCENTRAL.COM posted an interesting story last year.

Yuma teacher doubles salary by leaving Arizona to teach in California

"Arizona educators increasingly fled the state between 2014 to 2016 for similar jobs in neighboring California, Colorado, Nevada and New Mexico, according to U.S. Census data compiled by The Arizona Republic. "

https://www.azcentral.com/story/news...pay/471758002/

Don't forget about the part where he's going to pay alot more for transportation to his new gig, car repairs, and oh, let's not forget about the increase in California state income tax he's gonna have to pay. He will probably net out at an increase, if he's truly starting out with 2X the salary, but that does not sound plausible to me.
Sounds like more clickbait from desperate news organizations, like azcentral.