IL Schools: Average Teacher Makes Over $100K

[GHook93]

$100K average salary, tiny to no contributions for the best health insurance in the state, summers off, winter and spring vacation, insane style job security and a ginormous state tax payor funded pension plan waiting for them at age 55! Is being a teacher the best job in the country? Might be.

With IL schools failing our kids, with public worker pension funds sucking up 65% of the tax dollars, it's LIBERAL INSANITY to pay these teachers like this. No merit pay and little ability to fire teachers. I mean wouldn't it be better to pay teachers less and god sake on MERIT, make them at will employees, have more TAs and tutors and have MORE teachers, than paying less teachers bloated salaries?

It's insane, but that is liberalism for you.

Teachers at Fenton, Maine Township schools average more than $100,000 - DailyHerald.com
The state figures reveal two districts — Maine Township High School District 207 and Fenton High School District 101 — have cracked the $100,000 salary barrier, with Maine teachers averaging $108,336 and Fenton teachers at $101,084.

But it also shows several districts not far away from six figures: Teachers at Stevenson High School District 125 average $94,876, followed by Palatine-Schaumburg High School District 211 at $93,806 and Northwest Suburban High School District 214 at $91,997.

It’s no coincidence the highest-paid teachers come from districts comprised exclusively of high schools, as teacher pay there usually outpaces that of elementary school teachers. And the reasons for Maine and Fenton districts being at the top are varied and unique.

But the numbers spark discussion on a hot-button issue: Are we paying our teachers too much, not enough? And should their raises continue to outpace many in the private sector in a struggling economy?

How they got there
Report card data show average teacher salaries increased almost 10 percent this year at Park Ridge-based Maine Township. District administrators say that figure was inflated when a number of nontenured, lower-paid teachers were laid off last year. The district laid off 75 teachers after the union declined to reopen its five-year contract, which expires next year.

Under that contract, a first-year teacher with a bachelor’s degree, typically the lowest earner in a school district, made $51,961 in salary and pension contributions during the 2010-2011 school year. That number exceeds the average salaries in some suburban school districts.

 

[Mr. H.]

I've got no problem with such a figure as an average salary. Surely this must include administrators, etc.

What sucks is that very few of these people earn it or deserve it. There are way too many unqualified teachers out there and way too many teachers that are just plain BAD. And the tenure system makes it nearly impossible to get rid of them.

Double dipping on the pensions is another huge problem. One of our State Representatives is a school district supervisor and he's hardly ever there in his office for all the time he spends in Springfield.

Nationwide it's a really screwed up situation. In Illinois it's even worse.

 

[GHook93]

I've got no problem with such a figure as an average salary. Surely this must include administrators, etc.

NO, that is teachers only!

 

[Mr. H.]

Non-tenured, lower paid teachers. They're the ones that get screwed. And if they must be replaced, it's done with new graduates from outside the district.

It's a goddamn sideshow, Bob. A racket fraught with nepotism, cronyism, and favoritism.
And it's a system that ruined my wife's career. I hate every one of the fuckin' crooks.

 

[GHook93]

If they're good teachers, they deserve every penny.

OK, but if you agree with that thinking, then do you agree with if they are good CEOs then they deserve EVERY PENNY THEY GET PAID!!! I bet as liberal you are well against that assertion!

 

[Ame®icano]

Here is an example of Illinois teacher.

Anyone noticed how many commies are hiding in our schools? Damn, they're not even hiding anymore, but coming out like a roaches as light goes out. If you watch the video clip you'll hear her saying this:

I get about $8000 per class. Roughly, of course. Right now I teach a (unintelligible) class that has about 34 students in it. Each of those students pays about $2500 for just that class. You do the math. If we take simply 30 students in that class, they are paying all put together about $75,000 for simply that class. I am getting paid to teach that class $8000. What’s the difference?

She wants more money and I understand that. What I don't understand is, if she's not happy with what she makes now or where is she now, why she doesn't open her own school?

 

[iamwhatiseem]

I don't necessarily have a problem with teachers making very good money----what I have a problem with is teachers making this kind of money and there is no accountability for failure.
Whether a teacher is a complete failure or teacher of the year - they make the exact same pay with the exact same job security - in NO other industry in the world is there this kind of insanity going on.

But yes, liberals love teachers unions and refuse to acknowledge that they are a primary contributor to our embarrassing system.

 

[Jackson]

I don't necessarily have a problem with teachers making very good money----what I have a problem with is teachers making this kind of money and there is no accountability for failure.
Whether a teacher is a complete failure or teacher of the year - they make the exact same pay with the exact same job security - in NO other industry in the world is there this kind of insanity going on.

But yes, liberals love teachers unions and refuse to acknowledge that they are a primary contributor to our embarrassing system.

Exactly right. If we could elimiate the Teacher unions and have each teacher pay that dues to Best Practices Dept. (made that up, but it works), each teacher could be observed and evaluated every three years for effectiveness. Go over the behavior of the teacher in the classroom, attention to students needs, communication with parents, standardized test scores, effective discipline, modelling appropriate behavior, encouraging students and assessing and meeting their needs,etc.

The more effective, they are the higher, dramatically higher their salary and the opposite for those on the less effective mode.

Once a teacher has been identified as not effective twice, out she goes.

I'd rather see Union dues go to pay effective teachers and unions stop protecting bad teachers.

 

[High_Gravity]

$100K average salary, tiny to no contributions for the best health insurance in the state, summers off, winter and spring vacation, insane style job security and a ginormous state tax payor funded pension plan waiting for them at age 55! Is being a teacher the best job in the country? Might be.

With IL schools failing our kids, with public worker pension funds sucking up 65% of the tax dollars, it's LIBERAL INSANITY to pay these teachers like this. No merit pay and little ability to fire teachers. I mean wouldn't it be better to pay teachers less and god sake on MERIT, make them at will employees, have more TAs and tutors and have MORE teachers, than paying less teachers bloated salaries?

It's insane, but that is liberalism for you.

Teachers at Fenton, Maine Township schools average more than $100,000 - DailyHerald.com
The state figures reveal two districts — Maine Township High School District 207 and Fenton High School District 101 — have cracked the $100,000 salary barrier, with Maine teachers averaging $108,336 and Fenton teachers at $101,084.

But it also shows several districts not far away from six figures: Teachers at Stevenson High School District 125 average $94,876, followed by Palatine-Schaumburg High School District 211 at $93,806 and Northwest Suburban High School District 214 at $91,997.

It’s no coincidence the highest-paid teachers come from districts comprised exclusively of high schools, as teacher pay there usually outpaces that of elementary school teachers. And the reasons for Maine and Fenton districts being at the top are varied and unique.

But the numbers spark discussion on a hot-button issue: Are we paying our teachers too much, not enough? And should their raises continue to outpace many in the private sector in a struggling economy?

How they got there
Report card data show average teacher salaries increased almost 10 percent this year at Park Ridge-based Maine Township. District administrators say that figure was inflated when a number of nontenured, lower-paid teachers were laid off last year. The district laid off 75 teachers after the union declined to reopen its five-year contract, which expires next year.

Under that contract, a first-year teacher with a bachelor’s degree, typically the lowest earner in a school district, made $51,961 in salary and pension contributions during the 2010-2011 school year. That number exceeds the average salaries in some suburban school districts.

$100 K as an average salary for a school teacher in Illinois? are you serious?

 

[Jackson]

Here is an example of Illinois teacher.

Anyone noticed how many commies are hiding in our schools? Damn, they're not even hiding anymore, but coming out like a roaches as light goes out. If you watch the video clip you'll hear her saying this:

I get about $8000 per class. Roughly, of course. Right now I teach a (unintelligible) class that has about 34 students in it. Each of those students pays about $2500 for just that class. You do the math. If we take simply 30 students in that class, they are paying all put together about $75,000 for simply that class. I am getting paid to teach that class $8000. What’s the difference?

She wants more money and I understand that. What I don't understand is, if she's not happy with what she makes now or where is she now, why she doesn't open her own school?

Why don't we make the public schools better? Charter schools hand pick the students and the teachers. They can make rules the public schools don't dare like making appropriate discipline codes and sticking to them. The can get rid of any student who doesn't conform, leaving the more undesirable students in the public, headlining their failures.

The good teachers have to stay in the public system and working with difficult students. That's where the Unions need to get out and get rid of teachers who can't teach. Stop pulling the best out of the systems.

We sometimes ignore irrational an ineffective principals who are as a great a detriment to clasroom needs as the teachers.

 

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

You have to get rid of the union. That's the only way it's going to change, but seeing as how the people of Illinois keep embracing far left economic policies and politicians, I can't say I feel sorry for you. You're getting exactly what you deserve. I would never live in that corrupt state.

 

[edthecynic]

$100K average salary, tiny to no contributions for the best health insurance in the state, summers off, winter and spring vacation, insane style job security and a ginormous state tax payor funded pension plan waiting for them at age 55! Is being a teacher the best job in the country? Might be.

With IL schools failing our kids, with public worker pension funds sucking up 65% of the tax dollars, it's LIBERAL INSANITY to pay these teachers like this. No merit pay and little ability to fire teachers. I mean wouldn't it be better to pay teachers less and god sake on MERIT, make them at will employees, have more TAs and tutors and have MORE teachers, than paying less teachers bloated salaries?

It's insane, but that is liberalism for you.

Teachers at Fenton, Maine Township schools average more than $100,000 - DailyHerald.com
The state figures reveal two districts — Maine Township High School District 207 and Fenton High School District 101 — have cracked the $100,000 salary barrier, with Maine teachers averaging $108,336 and Fenton teachers at $101,084.

But it also shows several districts not far away from six figures: Teachers at Stevenson High School District 125 average $94,876, followed by Palatine-Schaumburg High School District 211 at $93,806 and Northwest Suburban High School District 214 at $91,997.

It’s no coincidence the highest-paid teachers come from districts comprised exclusively of high schools, as teacher pay there usually outpaces that of elementary school teachers. And the reasons for Maine and Fenton districts being at the top are varied and unique.

But the numbers spark discussion on a hot-button issue: Are we paying our teachers too much, not enough? And should their raises continue to outpace many in the private sector in a struggling economy?

How they got there
Report card data show average teacher salaries increased almost 10 percent this year at Park Ridge-based Maine Township. District administrators say that figure was inflated when a number of nontenured, lower-paid teachers were laid off last year. The district laid off 75 teachers after the union declined to reopen its five-year contract, which expires next year.

Under that contract, a first-year teacher with a bachelor’s degree, typically the lowest earner in a school district, made $51,961 in salary and pension contributions during the 2010-2011 school year. That number exceeds the average salaries in some suburban school districts.

$100 K as an average salary for a school teacher in Illinois? are you serious?

In CON$ervative fuzzy math, the two top districts out of 868 school districts constitutes the average for the 868 Illinois districts.

 

[Luissa]

He forgot this part of the article........

Meanwhile, Fenton teacher salaries are high for the one-school district because 15 percent of the Bensenville school’s small staff is nearing retirement, putting them near the high end of the salary scale, school leaders say. Additionally, pay bumps that come with assisting in extracurricular activities, which happens at most districts, become a greater factor in the equation with a smaller staff.

“Our size hurts us,” Superintendent Kathie Pierce said. “We are a small school, but we have a lot to offer students. We have 97 teachers, 90 coaching positions, 44 activities and fewer people to do those jobs. Some teachers do four, five, six activities.”

Additionally, she said, 77 of the 97 Fenton teachers spent a total of 2,300 hours doing summer curriculum work.

“We have to have the best possible people teaching in our schools,” Illinois Education Association spokesman Charles McBarron said. “We have to be able to attract and retain people to do this profession. We have to have reasonable compensation and reasonable retirement benefits.” But the definition of “reasonable” has come under fire.

I have never understood why people don't want to pay the people educating their children a competitive wage. Even conservatives in defense of bonuses for corporations admit bonuses and competitive wages bring better workers...Isn't that the whole idea of a capitalism? Why throw that all out the window when it comes to teachers?

 

[Luissa]

You have to get rid of the union. That's the only way it's going to change, but seeing as how the people of Illinois keep embracing far left economic policies and politicians, I can't say I feel sorry for you. You're getting exactly what you deserve. I would never live in that corrupt state.

Competitive wages to attack better workers is left wing policy?

 

[Flopper]

Teacher salaries vary a lot from state to state. The highest starting salary is in Connecticut at $39K. The lowest is North Dakota at $24K. The average is around $29K. For a permanent position, all states require 4 year degrees and teaching certificate. Many states require teachers to pursue a master's degree at their own expense. Good teachers do advance and poorer teachers are forced out.

Teaching is one of the most important jobs in the country, far more than most CEOs. Cutting teacher salaries to improve education is lunacy.

Teacher Salaries By State | Average Salaries For Teachers | Beginning Salaries For Teachers | Teacher Raises | TeacherPortal.com

 

[Luissa]

Teacher salaries vary a lot from state to state. The highest starting salary is in Connecticut at $39K. The lowest is North Dakota at $24K. The average is around $29K. For a permanent position, all states require 4 year degrees and teaching certificate. Many states require teachers to pursue a master's degree at their own expense. Good teachers do advance and poorer teachers are forced out.

Teaching is one of the most important jobs in the country, far more than most CEOs. Cutting teacher salaries to improve education is lunacy.

Teacher Salaries By State | Average Salaries For Teachers | Beginning Salaries For Teachers | Teacher Raises | TeacherPortal.com

Teachers get paid well in Washington State, and we have the highest average SAT score in the country. Go figure!
Earn More! Average Teacher Salary in Washington State, WA Teaching Salaries

SAT scores of college-bound seniors nationwide were flat this year, but credit Washington state for bucking the trend, registering average scores that are the highest in the nation.

This good news was almost to be expected; our students have led the country in SAT scores for eight years running.

Another high mark for the growing number of students taking the voluntary test. About 54 percent of Washington's high-school students took the test, making it the highest among Western states, which were at 43 percent, and the nation, at 47 percent.

Black, Asian and white students increased their scores in all areas of the test. More than a third of the test takers were minorities, continuing a critical diversity trend.

Credit Washington's hard-won emphasis on classroom rigor. The College Board, the nonprofit that administers the SAT, points to data showing students who take more challenging courses, such as Advanced Placement classes, do better on the SAT.

Editorials | Kudos to Washington students who put the state No. 1 for SAT results | Seattle Times Newspaper

 

[Jackson]

He forgot this part of the article........

Meanwhile, Fenton teacher salaries are high for the one-school district because 15 percent of the Bensenville school’s small staff is nearing retirement, putting them near the high end of the salary scale, school leaders say. Additionally, pay bumps that come with assisting in extracurricular activities, which happens at most districts, become a greater factor in the equation with a smaller staff.

“Our size hurts us,” Superintendent Kathie Pierce said. “We are a small school, but we have a lot to offer students. We have 97 teachers, 90 coaching positions, 44 activities and fewer people to do those jobs. Some teachers do four, five, six activities.”

Additionally, she said, 77 of the 97 Fenton teachers spent a total of 2,300 hours doing summer curriculum work.

“We have to have the best possible people teaching in our schools,” Illinois Education Association spokesman Charles McBarron said. “We have to be able to attract and retain people to do this profession. We have to have reasonable compensation and reasonable retirement benefits.” But the definition of “reasonable” has come under fire.

I have never understood why people don't want to pay the people educating their children a competitive wage. Even conservatives in defense of bonuses for corporations admit bonuses and competitive wages bring better workers...Isn't that the whole idea of a capitalism? Why throw that all out the window when it comes to teachers?

An excellent teacher is worth every penny of $100,000 if they make differences in children's lives and help them become the best they can be. But, too many think they can wing the job and don't make that difference. It takes a long time , if ever, to weed out the bad ones. There has to be a way to reward the good ones with that kind of money.

 

[Salt Jones]

$100K average salary, tiny to no contributions for the best health insurance in the state, summers off, winter and spring vacation, insane style job security and a ginormous state tax payor funded pension plan waiting for them at age 55! Is being a teacher the best job in the country? Might be.

With IL schools failing our kids, with public worker pension funds sucking up 65% of the tax dollars, it's LIBERAL INSANITY to pay these teachers like this. No merit pay and little ability to fire teachers. I mean wouldn't it be better to pay teachers less and god sake on MERIT, make them at will employees, have more TAs and tutors and have MORE teachers, than paying less teachers bloated salaries?

It's insane, but that is liberalism for you.

Teachers at Fenton, Maine Township schools average more than $100,000 - DailyHerald.com
The state figures reveal two districts — Maine Township High School District 207 and Fenton High School District 101 — have cracked the $100,000 salary barrier, with Maine teachers averaging $108,336 and Fenton teachers at $101,084.

But it also shows several districts not far away from six figures: Teachers at Stevenson High School District 125 average $94,876, followed by Palatine-Schaumburg High School District 211 at $93,806 and Northwest Suburban High School District 214 at $91,997.

It’s no coincidence the highest-paid teachers come from districts comprised exclusively of high schools, as teacher pay there usually outpaces that of elementary school teachers. And the reasons for Maine and Fenton districts being at the top are varied and unique.

But the numbers spark discussion on a hot-button issue: Are we paying our teachers too much, not enough? And should their raises continue to outpace many in the private sector in a struggling economy?

How they got there
Report card data show average teacher salaries increased almost 10 percent this year at Park Ridge-based Maine Township. District administrators say that figure was inflated when a number of nontenured, lower-paid teachers were laid off last year. The district laid off 75 teachers after the union declined to reopen its five-year contract, which expires next year.

Under that contract, a first-year teacher with a bachelor’s degree, typically the lowest earner in a school district, made $51,961 in salary and pension contributions during the 2010-2011 school year. That number exceeds the average salaries in some suburban school districts.

In your opinion, how much should teachers make per year?

 

[Flopper]

$100K average salary, tiny to no contributions for the best health insurance in the state, summers off, winter and spring vacation, insane style job security and a ginormous state tax payor funded pension plan waiting for them at age 55! Is being a teacher the best job in the country? Might be.

With IL schools failing our kids, with public worker pension funds sucking up 65% of the tax dollars, it's LIBERAL INSANITY to pay these teachers like this. No merit pay and little ability to fire teachers. I mean wouldn't it be better to pay teachers less and god sake on MERIT, make them at will employees, have more TAs and tutors and have MORE teachers, than paying less teachers bloated salaries?

It's insane, but that is liberalism for you.

Teachers at Fenton, Maine Township schools average more than $100,000 - DailyHerald.com
The state figures reveal two districts — Maine Township High School District 207 and Fenton High School District 101 — have cracked the $100,000 salary barrier, with Maine teachers averaging $108,336 and Fenton teachers at $101,084.

But it also shows several districts not far away from six figures: Teachers at Stevenson High School District 125 average $94,876, followed by Palatine-Schaumburg High School District 211 at $93,806 and Northwest Suburban High School District 214 at $91,997.

It’s no coincidence the highest-paid teachers come from districts comprised exclusively of high schools, as teacher pay there usually outpaces that of elementary school teachers. And the reasons for Maine and Fenton districts being at the top are varied and unique.

But the numbers spark discussion on a hot-button issue: Are we paying our teachers too much, not enough? And should their raises continue to outpace many in the private sector in a struggling economy?

How they got there
Report card data show average teacher salaries increased almost 10 percent this year at Park Ridge-based Maine Township. District administrators say that figure was inflated when a number of nontenured, lower-paid teachers were laid off last year. The district laid off 75 teachers after the union declined to reopen its five-year contract, which expires next year.

Under that contract, a first-year teacher with a bachelor’s degree, typically the lowest earner in a school district, made $51,961 in salary and pension contributions during the 2010-2011 school year. That number exceeds the average salaries in some suburban school districts.

In your opinion, how much should teachers make per year?

I think they should be paid as much as in other developed countries.

Compared to other developed countries, in the United States teachers generally spend more time teaching but apparently without an equivalent advantage in pay.

http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/09/teacher-pay-around-the-world/

 

[jaffeh]

ROFLMAO!!!!!

Hundred grand? ROFLMAO!!!!!!! BENEFITS FREE????? ROFLMAO!!!!!

I've been killing myself, seriously, to teach English to American barbarians, for thirty three years, and I have been polite. Not here, but there. I have. I have not been sued because I have not expressed my thoughts and have been polite.

I'm at my highest salary, now. It's the same salary I've had for the past four years. No raises. Just cost of living increases. I make $50,000, exactly the national median income. I pay something like 20% for healthcare, which I avoid.

I calculated with an online gizmo that I can afford to live, with my retirement and social security, until I'm 77. After that, well, I suppose the Repubs will shove me alive into a hole, even if I have worked honorably every day since 1972.

A hundred grand and perks? HA.. Talk to the administrators, who kiss politicians asses and fare way better than the humble teacher.