Posted on 03/05/2013 12:27:58 PM PST by MichCapCon
In the Wayne-Westland Community Schools, high school math teachers are the lowest paid as a group and make on average almost $25,000 less a year than the physical education teachers.
The high school science teachers make $11,000 less than the district’s gym teachers on average.
The salaries are set by a six-year teacher’s contract Wayne-Westland agreed to in 2008 and runs through 2014. The salary schedule determines pay solely by years of experience and education background.
On average, physical education teachers were the highest paid group and made $78,675 a year. Teacher gross salaries can also include pay for extracurricular activities, such as coaching a sports team or teaching a class during their break. High school science teachers made $67,564 and high school math teachers made $53,775.
Wayne-Westland School District Spokeswoman Jenny Johnson didn’t respond to a request for comment.
"This illustrates that school districts don’t take into consideration need when they determine teacher salaries,” said Michael Van Beek, education policy director at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. “It is based on longevity and college degrees. There are calls for more high quality math and more science teachers particularly at the high school level from all corners of the country. And this district and other districts like it are making it more difficult for themselves to attract and retain more high quality math and science teachers because they are willing to pay other teachers who aren’t in as high demand as those who are.
"There is a widespread agreement that they are going to need to reward quality math and science teachers," Van Beek said. "And under this system, they can’t do that."
The disparity in salaries for the fields of math and science is significant because of a national debate over the demand for more quality science and math teachers in the classroom. The National Education Association, the nation's largest teachers' union, has pledged to help get more teachers into those fields, but the union backs the single-salary schedule.
The issue is not restricted to just one district. In 2011 in the Troy Public Schools, seven gym teachers made more than an advanced placement biology teacher who was honored as a teacher of the year.
State Superintendent Mike Flanagan said earlier this year that all teachers should make $100,000 as part of a bigger solution to get higher quality math and science teachers.
A 2010 law signed by then-Gov. Jennifer Granholm requires school districts to use job performance as a “significant factor” in determining teacher pay. But nearly all districts still use a single salary schedule, in which pay is based almost entirely on years on the job and college credentials. A few have adopted a policy of paying their “highly effective” teachers
The data for the analysis was taken from the district’s transparency link on its web page where it listed all of the employees’ salaries for 2012.
As a former high school and college football coach, I can assure you that the extra income from coaching supplements is well earned....High school coaches not only spend the time coaching, but field maintainance, locker room prep, equioment maintainance etc takes a huge amount of time and effort.
That reminded me of our old baseball coach, Coach Jones working on the baseball field with rake, shovel, lawn mower etc. Basically he was both coach and groundskeeper.
Often working till dark.
Yep...That’s standard for almost all coaches...And it doesn’t just end with the season...Baseball, soccer, and football fields require year round care....
In Michigan, apparently...
Football > Math and Science.
We need a school the football team can be proud of!
Yes Coach Jones also coached football and basketball. Now that I think about it, he was not a P.E. instructor tho. He taught math. In fact all three of our high schools math instructors were either coaches or retired coaches.
What is it about “supplements” that you don’t understand?????
From the article...”... Teacher gross salaries can also include pay for extracurricular activities, such as coaching a sports team or teaching a class during their break...”
BTW, I taught science when I taught at the HS level.....
“Michigan State University's men's basketball coach, Tom Izzo, came close to breaking the eight-figure barrier for coaches’ pay in 2006, pocketing more than $8.7-million in total compensation, according to a Chronicle analysis of tax documents.”
OK.
Football > Science and Math
AND
Basketball > Science and Math.
And it isn't just Michigan.
Very often the guy paid the most of any State Employee is some sports coach. I guess the taxpayers really like their sports! They sure end up paying a lot for it!
I would agree with your assessment. Coaching, no matter what others may think of it, is a tough gig. You have to deal with kids, parents, boosters, administration folks.
And its not just X’s and O’s. Its part teacher, part counselor, part manager, and part coach.
If you are a coach with talented kids...its even more involved. You are the mentor that takes the kids through the college scouting process.
It is a lot more difficult than proctoring the chess club.
If you would read the article, you might realize that this story is about HIGH SCHOOL.....
BIG difference a major college sports program and high school athletics...
But evidently, this doesn’t mean anything to you...
But, like most coaches, I felt the field was a reflection on me and that my players deserved to have their hard work honored by having the field in the best shape possible.
Unlike preparing lessons and tests, grading papers and homework etc which takes no time and effort at all...
My Brother was a teacher. He spent a lot of time outside the classroom doing school related work. He probably devoted most of his life to teaching. I visited his classes a couple of times and I hate to say it but he was not a very good teacher.
My Grandfather was also a teacher and principal. When I was younger I was constantly running into people who were taught by him. I could always expect the same statement: “He was the best teacher I ever had”.
One day I asked my Father if Granddaddy spent much time out of the classroom working on his school teaching. Daddy told my he never spent a minute on class work outside of school. Granddaddy was a truly brilliant man and he just didn’t need to prepare any lessons etc. If he graded papers he would do it at school.
That and the perverts get an up close look at the fresh meat parading by naked. You know the women coaches....
Not many Math and Science teachers see student making 20 million a year like some Physical Education Teachers do. If you want to use getting paid by how successful the students do then you have to accept that some teachers will be paid more than others because the student is more successful.
The same trend exists at both the High School and College level - state funds going to fund a sports team rather than science or math. But people fund what they value - and I am sure the school thinks they get good value for paying the coach that much.
I remember in the show “Friday Nigh Lights” (not a freekin’ documentary - I know) the coach of the local High School got paid a lot more than your average teacher. I am sure he brought in a lot of that money - but it is a shame that academics doesn't attract the same money or interest in the local community.
People fund what they value.
Coaches also have this responsibility along with the other things...
PE teachers typically take extra gigs as coaches, asst coaches and even Drivers Ed teachers.
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