Teacher explains teacher pay |
| April 6, 2011 |
|
At a recent school board meeting, someone asked
about the salary schedule for teachers, how long
our teachers have been in Bonners Ferry and what
it takes to keep their teaching certificates. Long time high-school art teacher Tama Bergstrand decided to answer, and provided the following data. There are about 92 certified teachers in Boundary County School District 101, a figure that fluctuates based on hours put in by part time teachers. Of those, 18 have been with the district for three years or less. To obtain their Bachelor's Degree and become certified to teach, they must invest over $23,000 a year for four years, a total of $92,000 spent before they ever get paid to step into a classroom. The base salary for those who've been here longer than three years is $25,231. That's the base figure, set by the district, that all pay calculations are based on for 74 teachers. New teachers have a higher base salary set recently by the state legislature. Their pay is calculated on a base salary of $31,750. Teachers are given extra for their experience and education, based on post-graduate semester credit totals. Those teachers with Master's Degrees receive an additional $1,262 per year. With the cost of attaining an MA degree, around $16,000, the stipend would pay off the degree in a little over 12 years. Of the 92 teachers in the district, 31 have their Master's Degree. By state law, teachers are required to take six semester credits, which cost about $200 each, every five years to retain their teaching certificate. For pay purposes, the highest number of credits a teacher receives a stipend for tops out at 54. Of the 92 teachers, 63 have over 30 graduate credits above their BA degrees and 44 have more than 50. Of those 92 teachers in Boundary County public schools, 37 have been with the district for more than 13 years, which is when the experience stipends top out, or end. Of those, 23 teachers have been with the district anywhere from 20 to 41 years. Several of those teachers, including Clint Arthur, Travis Hinthorn and Kelly Hinthorn, not only teach in School District 101, but attended elementary, junior high and high schools here before graduating, earning their degree and coming back to the schools they grew up in. "All in all," Bergstrand wrote, "Boundary County School District teachers are not only dedicated to staying in Bonners Ferry, but have devoted their own time and finances to further their education to help give our students outstanding educations. As a parent, community member and teacher who has furthered my education far beyond what is required by the state to keep my certificate, I don't understand it when community members do not help support us. We seem to take the brunt of the debate." If the May 17 supplemental maintenance and operations levy doesn't pass and the school board is forced to drop all elective classes, Tama Bergstrand will, after more than 20 years as a teacher in School District 101, be unemployed. "My students' educations will be diminished," she said, "and our community will never be the same." |