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Super Contributor
Posts: 262
Registered: ‎08-07-2010

Yes, there is a teacher shortage in MI. and WI. and I know the reason. Both states have governors that have broken the teacher unions.  Teachers in these states no longer have the benefits of a few years ago.  At my former school (I am retired) the teachers pay $800.00/month for health coverage.  Teacher base pay is $32,000.  We are losing those good teachers for higher paying, better insurance, and more respect from society.  The teachers that are applying now are the 20 somethings that are not the cream of the crop and couldn't get the better paying jobs.  I am worried about the future of the education system.  I am glad I was a teacher.  However, I would not recommend it to any high schooler, as a career now.  Most retired teachers feel the same way I do.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 69,382
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

@Miss Shelly.  One question:  Why does your daughter stay in this awful job?  Surely now with some experience under her belt, she could get a better job.

New Mexico☀️Land Of Enchantment
Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,764
Registered: ‎03-11-2010

@kjae wrote:

@bathina   No.  I have been teaching for 44 years and I am still not making the 75,000.  I know they figure in the health benefits but if you are over 65 when you retire you  have to take the medicare-even tho LAUSD has "lifetime benefits".  The only thing I will get is prescription benefits and they MAY help with the supplemental-and again LAUSD is one of the better districts as far a benefits.

 

I know of some principals who retire at nearly 100,000 but they have a totally different formula than teachers and make more $ to begin with.  And here if I retire I have to wait for 6 months before I can work-then I can only earn a limited amount of $ if I go back to work as a part-time co-ordinator to help a school out.  I do not know how one of the posters said retirees are getting a full salary working for another district and getting their pension.  That is just not how it works in California.

Basically you get 60ish% of your salary at retirement.  I cannot pay my bills on that, thus I am still working after all of these years.

You cannot get another public school job and collect your pension.


@kjae @bathina, what @kjae posted here is true for my area also. Starting teachers make a little over $40k. Older teachers obviously make more than that as determined by years of experience + continued education.  Retirees get a percentage of their ending salary as their pension, definitely not full salary.  Some retirees have Cobra for 18 months, some who taught longer may be able to stay on Cobra longer than 18 months but everyone has to pay for Cobra, it’s not free.  Once Medicare age is reached, no more coverage. And no, retired teachers are not allowed to get another full time teaching position and get their pension, too.  They can be a substitute teacher but are limited as to how many times they can sub each year. Here, schools beg them to sub.

 

Also, there are steps that must be taken to get rid of a teacher who isn’t doing his/her job. If a teacher is not performing it is up to the administrators to proceed through the process of dismissal. Tenure does not keep that teacher in the classroom. 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 69,382
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

@teachergal wrote:

Yes, there is a teacher shortage in MI. and WI. and I know the reason. Both states have governors that have broken the teacher unions.  Teachers in these states no longer have the benefits of a few years ago.  At my former school (I am retired) the teachers pay $800.00/month for health coverage.  Teacher base pay is $32,000.  We are losing those good teachers for higher paying, better insurance, and more respect from society.  The teachers that are applying now are the 20 somethings that are not the cream of the crop and couldn't get the better paying jobs.  I am worried about the future of the education system.  I am glad I was a teacher.  However, I would not recommend it to any high schooler, as a career now.  Most retired teachers feel the same way I do.


@teachergal.  Perhaps those $32,000 teachers need to head South to New Mexico.  We can do better than that.

New Mexico☀️Land Of Enchantment
Honored Contributor
Posts: 69,382
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

@shopperqvc.  I think legislatures everywhere use pension funds as their personal piggy banks.  I know they did it in Texas.  The US Congress does the same with Social Security and they've bankrupted the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund on occasion.

 

Sounds as though Illinois is somewhat of a mess.

New Mexico☀️Land Of Enchantment
Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,764
Registered: ‎03-11-2010

@teachergal wrote:

Yes, there is a teacher shortage in MI. and WI. and I know the reason. Both states have governors that have broken the teacher unions.  Teachers in these states no longer have the benefits of a few years ago.  At my former school (I am retired) the teachers pay $800.00/month for health coverage.  Teacher base pay is $32,000.  We are losing those good teachers for higher paying, better insurance, and more respect from society.  The teachers that are applying now are the 20 somethings that are not the cream of the crop and couldn't get the better paying jobs.  I am worried about the future of the education system.  I am glad I was a teacher.  However, I would not recommend it to any high schooler, as a career now.  Most retired teachers feel the same way I do.


@teachergal, I remember the gov doing that to the teachers’ union in WI and it was awful!  It was so predictable what the fallout would be but he didn’t care. Sadly, the students are now reaping what that gov sowed. ☹️

 

In addition, you are spot on about former teachers discouraging their children from choosing teaching as a career. Again, another example of the fallout of what was done to their union. 

Regular Contributor
Posts: 237
Registered: ‎03-28-2011

@Kachina624 wrote:

@Miss Shelly.  One question:  Why does your daughter stay in this awful job?  Surely now with some experience under her belt, she could get a better job.


She doesn't consider it an "awful" job.  

 

Her Principal was so appreciative that she took the position at this very low income, rough area school.   Most teachers with a Master's prefer to teach in the more upscale neighborhoods of the city.   She was an asset to them as she came highly recommended by her Professors at the University of FL and the Staff at the school where she did a full year of student teaching in a pilot program that combined K-1-2 in the same classroom.  Another positive the Principal mentioned was the fact that since she worked for 2 years onboard a cruise ship, she was familiar and comfortable with people of various cultures.  Also since she spent long months away from friends and family at sea, she wouldn't get home sick and quit to go back to her home town.  She was given the opportunity to choose any grade level she wanted, K-5. (They had many openings).  

 

Originally her plan was to teach at this school for 5 years because it entitled her to get $5000 off her student loan since it was Title I.   At the end of last school year after going through the paperwork chanels to apply for the $5000 her Principal asked her to consider staying on and not move to a "better" school.  Since she likes her co-workers she decided to stay on for this school year and then decide.  

 

She hates the emphysis on teaching to the standardized test and doing all the unnecessary required paperwork that actually makes no difference.  The majority of the students are very low income and transient so read below grade level which means the very few pass the standardized test.  Unfortunately this isn't factored in by the powers that make the rules. but have never been in a classroom.  Her time would be better spent on actually trying to catch the students up to where they should be.  

 

She doesn't plan to leave the Vegas area as she enjoys life there, has a network of friends, and a boyfriend of 2 years.  The cost of living is comparable to what it is in our FL town.  The health and retirement benefits could be better, but, they wouldn't be different if she went to a "better" school within the Clark Co. district (which happens to be the 3rd largest school district in the country...who knew?)

 

 

Regular Contributor
Posts: 237
Registered: ‎03-28-2011

@Kachina624    My daughter has a friend who moved from Vegas to ABQ. She was a roommate on the cruise ship who came out to Vegas on my daughter's recommendation to teach. Her fiancee is in the military and was transferred recently so will be teaching there this year.  

 

BTW:  I love ABQ.  Stayed a few days on the cross country road trip when daughter moved to Vegas, then came back 2 years ago with my husband to enjoy the Balloon Fiesta.  Smiley Happy

Honored Contributor
Posts: 69,382
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

@Miss Shelly.  If your daughter is happy and content in her job, that's the most important thing.  She obviously gets personal satisfaction from her assignment as well as appreciation from administrators.  That means everything.

New Mexico☀️Land Of Enchantment
Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,565
Registered: ‎09-15-2016

@Kalli wrote:

@teachergal wrote:

Yes, there is a teacher shortage in MI. and WI. and I know the reason. Both states have governors that have broken the teacher unions.  Teachers in these states no longer have the benefits of a few years ago.  At my former school (I am retired) the teachers pay $800.00/month for health coverage.  Teacher base pay is $32,000.  We are losing those good teachers for higher paying, better insurance, and more respect from society.  The teachers that are applying now are the 20 somethings that are not the cream of the crop and couldn't get the better paying jobs.  I am worried about the future of the education system.  I am glad I was a teacher.  However, I would not recommend it to any high schooler, as a career now.  Most retired teachers feel the same way I do.


@teachergal, I remember the gov doing that to the teachers’ union in WI and it was awful!  It was so predictable what the fallout would be but he didn’t care. Sadly, the students are now reaping what that gov sowed. ☹️

 

In addition, you are spot on about former teachers discouraging their children from choosing teaching as a career. Again, another example of the fallout of what was done to their union. 


Few people have the same pension benefits & millions like me have completely lost their pension. The MI Public School Employee Retirement System is underfunded by almost 30 BILLON, its eating up 36% of school funding effecting teachers wages & school services. Gov Synder's plan made changes, it HAD to because kicking the can down the road wasn't an option anymore...the change to a 401K only applied to new hires, not retirees or current employees & I sincerity hope the changes work. The MI Teachers Union support whoever promises teachers the sun-moon-stars & the taxpayers get stuck with the bill.