Published: March 1, 2008

Wanted: Growth Opportunties

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If you think your career is lagging behind your neighbor’s, well, you might be right. On average, teachers earn just 88 cents for every dollar earned by workers in comparable professions, according to Quality Counts 2008: Tapping Into Teaching, a report by Education Week that looks at ways states can better manage human capital in schools.

At the same time, the report notes, the competitiveness of teachers’ salaries varies widely across the nation. Teachers earn as much or more than workers in comparable occupations in 10 states, with the highest teacher-parity scores found in Montana (110.2) and Rhode Island (111.8).

Looking at other aspects of career growth, the report finds that only 20 states recognize differentiated roles for teachers, such as mentoring novices or coaching other teachers, and just 17 states provide incentives or rewards to veteran teachers who take on leadership roles outside the classroom.

The good news? People are starting to recognize this as a major problem.

Vol. 01, Issue 02, Page 5

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