For 30 years, teacher salaries have barely kept pace with inflation, even though the economy depends more and more on educated workers. Average teacher pay has risen just 8.6 percent over inflation since 1970, a mere third of a percent per year. Over those same years, the percentage of teachers with master's degrees has doubled and average teacher experience is up five years. Other countries don't squeeze their educators. America's major competitors pay teachers more, relative to average incomes in their countries, than teachers in the United States.
Some nations even pay educators more in absolute terms.
South Korea, says the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, pays mid-career teachers 30 percent more than the United States. NEA affiliates all across America are currently fighting to reverse these trends. Three years ago, I would have had to leave. Watch future editions of NEA Today for more on the debate over approaches to compensation. The same poll found that the public considers increasing salaries is an important approach to improving schools.