kitchen table math, the sequel: news to me

Saturday, February 2, 2008

news to me

instructivist looked up the top 100 teacher salaries in the state of Illinois:


Top 100 Teacher Salaries
2006 search results.

Bode Jeanne E $441,612 CARY CCSD 26

Morrison Donna M $439,803 BELLWOOD SD 88

Schackmann Deborah K $329,404 SOUTH EASTERN SP ED PROGRAM

Marszalek Christine D $174,403 LOCKPORT TWP HSD 205

Hall James W $170,172 LOCKPORT TWP HSD 205

Gonsiorowski Marvin $165,370 LEMONT TWP HSD 210

Vallicelli Richard E $164,232 LEYDEN CHSD 212

Swords Robert G $163,327 LEYDEN CHSD 212

Martinez Lino $163,184 ADLAI E STEVENSON HSD 125

Wolter James H $163,144 NORTHFIELD TWP HSD 225

Sincora Craig D $162,432 ADLAI E STEVENSON HSD 125

Weber Peter W $161,622 ADLAI E STEVENSON HSD 125

Vanderschoot Gerard $161,502 LEMONT TWP HSD 210

Dezurko Steve $160,729 LEYDEN CHSD 212

..................................

I wonder if these folks grade on a curve.

8 comments:

KathyIggy said...

I was just looking at teacher salaries in our district (Normal IL) because the district has a referendum on Tuesday's ballot for increasing taxes to build a new middle school and two new elementaries, along with renovating most of the existing schools. There is some overcrowding (my 6th grader is in a portable most of the day) but lots of the talk is smart boards, etc. They even put a model classroom in one of the older schools for kids to visit (and convince parents to vote yes). Anyway, there's been local talk about overpaying teachers so I took a look. My 2nd grader's teacher has 30+ years of experience and has a Masters. Her salary is 72K. One of my 6th grader's teachers is only a few years out of school and working on her Masters and makes $36K. Our principals don't make as much as the teachers listed. Of course, this is comparing downstate with Chicago, but our district is considered one of the better-paying downstate districts.

SteveH said...

And these are for 180 days a year? What's a typical factor, 1.3, 1.25 to find an equivalent yearly salary? What's the hourly rate?

Generally, I don't like to confuse the issue by discussing salaries because our arguments at KTM aren't based on that, but this is why teaching is a hot job in our neck of the woods.

Catherine Johnson said...

I agree that salaries per se aren't what ktm is about, but teacher salaries are a very large issue for me personally.

Teachers here make more money than I do - often far more money, since I have years in which I'm writing a book and earning nothing.

They have job security, which is priceless as far as I'm concerned; they have health insurance, which I would lose and be unable to purchase for myself if Ed were to leave or die.

They work 10 months of the year; I work 12.

The last time I spoke to the math chair she was wearing large pearls and a fur coat. I was sporting down.

I wouldn't complain about or resent these things if, when I attended a meeting with the science department to discuss the fact that my child's grades in his class range from A to F, I weren't told that the reason for this situation is that he needs improvement in inferential thinking and "remember, he didn't do well on the CTBS" (he did fine; the teacher misrembered).

I have never, ever, had a meeting with the school about a problem concerning my child in which the school took responsibility for his learning and achievement.

Worse yet, I have had only two meetings with school personnel in which an administrator openly and directly acknowledged the fact that other children were having the same problem.

Apart from those two experiences, the message has been, "The problem is your kid, not us."

Catherine Johnson said...

I should have said his/her class above

Catherine Johnson said...

Our school board sent out an email saying Irvington has "the pick of the litter."

How offensive is that?

I despair.

Parents are desperate for the school to step up to the plate and hold itself responsible for student achievement.

We are also desperate for school board members who grasp this principle and work toward this end. (Some board members do, although I doubt we have any board members who believe that the school can be responsible for student achievement in the way a person who's heard of Direct Instruction and precision teaching believes it.)

Anonymous said...

I'd say the data is a little suspect on that site. That top salary was for a 5th year teacher in a district where the superintendent makes $159,747 after 20 years there. The indication would seem to be either typos or misplaced decimals when data was entered into the system.

"Lies, damn lies, statistics"

Catherine Johnson said...

My guess is double-dipping.

Illinois seems to have a huge amount of that going on.

My favorite teacher-salary story here is the teacher earning $100,000/yr who told a parent he/she wouldn't be correcting math homework because he/she had "too many students." This same teacher also told parents that 30% of the students in the accelerated math track "didn't belong."

VickyS said...

More data on teacher salaries: these numbers are recent (Jan 28, 2008) and are from the St Paul Public Schools website.

District average: $350,000 to run the building and keep the lights on

Transportation: $97,000

Variable costs, based on average salaries districtwide including benefits:

Teacher: $81,024
Education Asst.: $44,800
Teaching Asst: $22,935
Counselor: $87,649
Soc Wrkr: $85,295
Nurse/Librarian: $85,259
Principal: $134,291
Clerk: $46,422