Underpaid teachers undermine education quality
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Teachers play a vital role in the education system. They utilize their time and energy to create lesson plans, grade assignments, and communicate with students inside and outside of the classroom. If they do not have the resources they need, they may not be able to execute their jobs as effectively and countless students could be negatively affected as a result. Due to this, teachers should be paid higher wages for their effort.
Increasing wages for teachers has been proven to have positive results for students across the country. For instance, a nationwide study published by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Press Journals found that raising teachers’ wages by 10% decreases high school dropout rates by 3-4%since teachers were more willing to continue teaching at schools that offer higher salaries. This exemplifies how it is essential for teachers to be paid well to ensure that their students succeed. If the district truly wants to help students, raising teachers’ wages would be a proven way to do so.
It is necessary for teachers to be able to afford living. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the median household income in the country was about $63,179 in 2018. Meanwhile, the average cost of living in San Gabriel is about 43% higher than the national average, according to salary.com. However, the district does not even pay most teachers enough to afford the same standard of living as the average American. As a result, many teachers with families may not receive the income that they need to live comfortably.
While it is true that the AUSD teacher salary is higher than other districts in the area, it is still low compared to other types of careers that may attract more applicants. Raising teachers’ salaries would not only compensate them for their work but also incentivize more people to become teachers. This would make the pool of applicants larger and more competitive, which would ensure that only outstanding teachers are chosen. Even though teachers should work for the benefit of the students rather than simply the wage, they should be properly paid for their hard work as this would ensure that their needs are met as well as their students. Without decent pay, many potential teachers may be forced to turn to other professions to afford their lifestyle. As a result, higher wages for teachers would benefit the students, teachers, and society as a whole.
