Salaries & Benefits

Education news, analysis, and opinion about pay and benefits for school and district employees

See also: Performance Pay, Retirement & Pensions, Unions, Teaching Profession

Explainer

Thousands of teachers marched and rallied in downtown Los Angeles on Dec. 15, 2018. A month later, more than 30,000 educators went on strike for a pay raise, smaller class sizes, and more support staff.
Teacher Pay: How Salaries, Pensions, and Benefits Work in Schools
An Education Week primer on teacher salaries, raises, performance pay, pensions, Social Security benefits, and health-care premiums.
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Image of a computer at a desk with "Job Search" in the search window.
Syuzanna Guseynova/iStock/Getty + EdWeek
Teaching Profession Summer Jobs Have Become an (Unwelcome) Tradition for Many Teachers
Many teachers rely on summer as a time to earn much-needed extra income.


Elizabeth Heubeck, May 31, 2023
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4 min read
Illustration of a house being carried off into the sky by 5 balloons with a dollar sign on each balloon.
iStock/Getty
Teaching Profession Is Homeownership Out of Reach for Most Teachers?
In some cities, even a one-bedroom rental is beyond what a novice teacher can afford, a new analysis finds.
Madeline Will, May 11, 2023
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5 min read
Actress Sheryl Lee Ralph, star of Abbott Elementary, speaks during a special education town hall event for Teacher Appreciation week, at Walt Whitman High School, in Bethesda, Md., on May 7, 2023.
Actress Sheryl Lee Ralph, star of "Abbott Elementary," speaks during an event for Teacher Appreciation Week, at Walt Whitman High School in Bethesda, Md., on May 7, 2023.
Graeme Sloan for Education Week
Teaching Profession 'Abbott Elementary' Star Sheryl Lee Ralph: 'Get Your Teachers the Money They Deserve'
The actress spoke at an NEA- and PTA-sponsored event kicking off Teacher Appreciation Week.
Madeline Will, May 8, 2023
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4 min read
Brian Hess, head custodian at the Washburn Elementary School in Auburn, Maine, strips the cafeteria floors in preparation for waxing on Aug. 17, 2021.
Brian Hess, head custodian at Washburn Elementary School in Auburn, Maine, strips the cafeteria floors in preparation for waxing on Aug. 17, 2021.
Andree Kehn/Sun Journal via AP
Education Funding How Much Do School Support Staff Make in Each State? (Spoiler: It's Not a Living Wage)
In some states, education support personnel make below $30,000, new data show.
Madeline Will, May 2, 2023
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3 min read
Miguel Cardona
Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona is pictured in downtown Washington, D.C., on April 27, 2023. He discussed teacher pay and working conditions, artificial intelligence, and more in an interview with Education Week.
Courtesy of U.S. Department of Education
Teaching Profession Q&A Teachers Need More Than Just Pay Raises, Secretary Cardona Says
Education Secretary Miguel Cardona sat down with Education Week to talk about the teaching profession, AI, and students' mental health.
Libby Stanford, May 2, 2023
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7 min read
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DigitalVision Vectors/Getty
Budget & Finance Opinion Could the Nation's Largest District Afford to Double Teacher Pay and Triple Counseling?
Seeing what’s conceivable in N.Y.C. schools might give us the confidence to stop settling for what’s customary everywhere.
Rick Hess, May 2, 2023
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3 min read
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Recruitment & Retention Pay for Student Teachers: See Which State Hopes to Offer $20,000
If signed into law, advocates say, the proposed stipend could boost the pipeline into the field.
Elizabeth Heubeck, April 24, 2023
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4 min read
Photograph of wood figures and coins.
iStock / Getty Images Plus
Teaching Profession Data How Much Do Teachers Get Paid? See New State-by-State Data
Salaries have ticked up slightly, but not enough to keep up with inflation.
Madeline Will, April 24, 2023
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1 min read
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Budget & Finance From Our Research Center Teacher & Administrator Perceptions About K-12 Education Finance
The first annual Allovue Education Finance Survey examines educators' views about school funding.
Holly Kurtz, April 18, 2023
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3 min read
Budget & Finance Whitepaper Teacher & Administrator Perceptions About K-12 Education Finance
Results of the first annual Allovue Education Finance Survey suggest that education professionals have varying experiences, views, and gaps in knowledge related to key issues in K-12 education finance. This whitepaper highlights findings.
April 18, 2023
Illustration of woman surrounded by different emojis.
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Teaching Profession 'Poor for the Rest of Your Life’: Negative Messages Can Deter Prospective Teachers
Downbeat messages—especially from the media—can make would-be teachers think twice about a career.
Madeline Will, April 14, 2023
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5 min read
Cecily Myart-Cruz, president of United Teachers of Los Angeles, with Max Arias, executive director of the Service Employees International SEIU Local 99 union, speak to thousands of Los Angeles Unified School District teachers and SEIU members rallying outside the LAUSD headquarters in Los Angeles Tuesday, March 21, 2023.
A crowd of attendees at a joint rally by United Teachers of Los Angeles and SEIU 99 gathers in front of City Hall on March 15, 2023, in Los Angeles, Calif.
Damian Dovarganes/AP
Teaching Profession In L.A., Teachers and Parents Raise Money for Striking Service Workers
Many service workers cannot afford to miss work during the three-day strike. Teachers and parents are stepping in to help.
Delilah Brumer, Daily Breeze, March 22, 2023
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3 min read
Thousands of LAUSD education workers calling on LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho to use the district’s $4.9 billion in reserves to invest in staff, students, and communities rally at Grand Park in front of Los Angeles City Hall in Los Angeles on March 15, 2023.
Thousands of Los Angeles Unified School District educators call on Superintendent Alberto Carvalho to use the district’s nearly $5 billion in reserves to invest in staff, students, and communities at a rally at the city's Grand Park on March 15, 2023.
Keith Birmingham/Pasadena Star-News via TNS
Teaching Profession Q&A Los Angeles Educators Are Set to Strike. Will Teachers Elsewhere Follow Suit?
Unions in cities have become more aggressive—and low wages coupled with a demand for talent are giving them leverage.
Madeline Will, March 20, 2023
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6 min read
Close up of Benjamin Franklin's face on the one hundred dollar bill peeking out from behind a white curled up paper
iStock/Getty Images Plus
School & District Management Superintendents' Salaries and Their Plans for Next Year, in Charts
A new survey offers a glimpse into the state of the superintendency, as some reports suggest turnover is on the rise.
Caitlynn Peetz, March 15, 2023
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1 min read
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