(05/24/05) To attract better talent, pay scales of teachers have increased substantially. In New York and New Jersey, teachers’ salaries are around $55,000 on average. In the District of Columbia, the average teacher earns over $57,000. Nationwide, according to the National Education Association (NEA), the average teacher earns $46,826 and this includes those who teach in rural areas and small towns.

The NEA’s annual 2003-2004 rakings of average teachers’ salaries shows that Vermont’s average teacher salary is $42,000. Vermont ranks 30th out of the 50 states and DC. The NEA’s report showed that the highest average teacher salary of $58,300 was in California, a state that has a much higher cost of living than Vermont.

Looking at this data you can understand why the Vermont-NEA is calling for increased spending for education in Vermont and why teachers’ salary negotiations is a contentious issue for school boards. Vermont education outcomes are considered high compared to national data but its teacher salaries rank average.

Vermont’s labor contracts do not call for pay for performance that’s based on merit and teacher achievement. Increases are based on negotiations, educational attainment and seniority.

Before school boards consider further salary increases they should look at national cost of living factors and the NEA rankings of teacher salaries to see if Vermont teachers are equitability reimbursed. National salary comparisons are standard procedure for businesses to insure fair professional pay compensation.

A cost of living comparison calculator can be found on the National Association of Realtors web page. The calculator allows you to consider the cost of living in cities you’re considering moving to and compares them to your current residence and salary. The results will identify how much you’ll have to earn to maintain a similar lifestyle in a new city.

If a Vermont teacher living in Burlington who’s making the state average salary of $42,000 is considering a move to San Diego, California, the teacher would have to earn $60,300 in California in order to have a similar lifestyle including owning a home. Since the average teacher’s salary in California is $58,300, it appears that Vermont’s teachers’ salaries, on average, are competitive.

Many communities in Chittenden County pay more than the average teacher’s salary in Vermont. In Burlington, the average teachers’ salary is $50,000 and in South Burlington it’s $60,000. For a South Burlington teacher to earn a comparable salary in Laguna Beach, California with a similar student population and high income community, they would have to earn $96,139. However, the average teacher salary in Laguna Beach is $66,500. It appears on average South Burlington teachers are extremely well paid.

I’m sure many educators and the Vermont teacher union may not consider this comparison valid since there are other factors that should be taken into account. We’re talking about average teacher wage in California and many larger communities pay more than smaller communities because of a cost of living variation. However, the same is true in Vermont since the cost of living is more in South Burlington than in our rural communities like Cavendish, Vermont

More money to cover the traditional cost of living adjustment for teacher salaries doesn’t appear to be defensible. It’s an obsolete system that should be revised to reward critical teacher skills and classroom performance or gains in student achievement.

*  *  *

Frank Mazur is a small business owner and was a member of the Vermont House from 1995-2005. He’s also chair of the advisory board to FreedomWorks.

Frank Mazur
South Burlington