Missouri teacher salaries tumble
to 44th in national ranking
The average Missouri teacher salary of $36,420 fell nine
steps—to 44th in the nation—for 2001- 2002, according
to an education funding report released today by the National
Education Association. The average Missouri teacher salary
ranked 35th in the nation the previous school year. Last year’s
average teacher salary—the last year for which data
is available—is estimated to be $37,655, maintaining
its national ranking of 44th.
“Quality teachers are essential to creating great
public schools for every child,” Greg Jung, president
of the Missouri National Education Association, says. “The
commitment required of teachers needs to be matched by a commitment
to pay them competitive salaries. A ranking of 44th in the
nation is nothing short of embarrassing.
“Educators are asked to fulfill an important mission,
but they are not given the support and compensation to remain
in the profession,” Jung adds.
Missouri’s average salary of public school teachers
is approximately 82 percent of the national average teacher
salary, according to the NEA report, Rankings and Estimates:
Rankings of the States 2003 and Estimates of School Statistics
2004. The report compiles data from all state education departments.
It is available online at www.nea.org/edstats/images/04rankings.pdf.
The 32,000-member Missouri NEA represents teachers, education
support professionals, retired teachers and students studying
to be teachers in school districts and on college campuses
throughout the state. It is the Missouri affiliate of the
2.7 million-member NEA, the largest organization of school
employees in the nation.
For further information:
Carol K. Schmoock
573-634-3202
May 26, 2004
|
