What is your opinion on the new Texas teacher salary?

Question

I'm not looking for a debate here. I'm just curious! I am a teacher in Texas and it is being discussed to reduce teacher salary to $27,000 with the districts responsible for making up the rest based on standardized test scores. I conferenced with a parent today and he brought this up agreeing with the new bill. He said teachers are already paid too much because we have a lot of vacation days and if we can't get children to pass the tests, then we shouldn't be teaching. Being a professional, I did not argue, I just listened. Again, I am not looking for a debate. I am just curious what your thoughts are on teacher salaries. Are we paid too much?

Answer

Horrible pay. Why are states and law passers so against teachers? There's so much pressure for testing. The test is made up of people sitting at a desk in a district or state who have never taught! A teacher should get paid as much as a doctor. Saving society in our country through education is vital.

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What. The. Fuck.

I'm a teacher in NYC. That's ridiculous. It has been proven that merit based pay for teachers does not improve results.

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That's equally as logical as having hospitals get funded for their patient satisfaction.

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Just out of curiosity is that remotely a living wage in Texas? In California, I had to live with a roommate to make ends meet with that salary. That is way low. My holidays are spent in school and I know some who lesson plan and nothing else. It's never really a holiday for some of us. Teachers need to live. But whatever, we have a poorly informed public that doesn't know better.

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So about those teachers in Atlanta who artificially inflated test scores...no wonder teachers are driven to such measures!

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That's crazy. Now I can understand if they want to do a little extra bonus for testing well, but some kids don't test well, doesn't matter how good of a job you did.

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That's crazy! Sorry but absolutely bonkers! 
What teacher is going to want to work in a school or district that doesn't pay as much as another. 
If it's based on test scores and the students didn't do well the previous year you wouldn't want to stay another year with a pay cut. Won't be any teachers left.

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I'm a teacher in Texas and think my 53,000 a year for a 4th year teacher is adequate. Now do I agree with with new legislation mandating half my pay comes from test scores-absolutely no! I teach art to k-4. Wondering how we can adequately test babies on life skills. I also think this is the fastest way to lose a very large amount of people who actually give a damn about their students. BTW, I work at a Title 1.

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I'm in nc now - we've been rated the worst state to work in as a teacher. I had a parent this year move from Texas and tell me how well they treat their teachers there! I'm from PA which was a GREAT place to work. So sad to hear about the pay cut - that would be awful!! Good luck to you !!

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I'm a teacher in ontario and I am appalled by this post! We have some struggles coming up with the government here as well. Are teachers in Texas unionized?