The 5 Worst Paying States For Educators

 

Budget cuts in some areas are causing an education crisis. See which states are paying the least for good teachers.

 

The news is filled with reports of cities and states that are facing huge budget shortfalls and are in the midst of an education crisis. They are being forced to cut back on salaries, increasing class size and in some states, trying to get rid of unions that protect the rights of educators. Some states have already let go many of their teachers and can ill afford to cut back any more. Between Federal spending cuts and state budget shortfalls, some school districts are having a really hard time figuring out how to do more with so much less.

 

Even though some states are being especially hard hit, there are still many jobs available in the education field. Even though teaching has never been a lucrative career, some states are paying their educators much less than average. A recent article in Wall Street 24/7 ranked the 5 worst paying states, take a look and see how these states are dealing with the tough economy:

 

Student/teacher ratio: 13.4/1

 

The South Dakota legislature is currently proposing an additional 10 percent cut in education spending. Of course, the South Dakota Education Association is fighting the cuts, saying that it would devastate the public school system.

North Dakota-

Average salary: $44,266

Student/teacher ratio: 11.9/1

In North Dakota, the state is proposing changing the entire education system. Their goal is to create a Department of Education to be in charge of public education in the state. In addition, Federal funding cuts are having a huge impact on several school districts in the state.

Missouri:

Average salary: $46,411

Student/teacher ratio: 13.2/1

The “Show me” state hasn't passed any measures to decrease school funding, but as costs are rising, the budget isn't increasing. In an attempt to reduce costs, many school districts are considering laying off teachers.

Utah:

Average salary: $46,571

Student/teacher ratio: 22.3/1

Utah's public schools are really struggling. The are rated 50^th in the nation in average daily attendance and 49^th in the High School graduation rate. The state legislature is considering a bill that would prevent school districts from laying off teachers solely on the basis of seniority or lack thereof.

Florida:

Average salary: $46,702

Student/Teacher ratio: 16/1

 

Florida has gotten rid of 12,000 jobs in education over the past 36 months, and they are concerned that more layoffs will be needed. The states new proposed budget included cutting $150 million out of the Miami-Dade school district, which would mean laying off more teachers. In addition, there is also a pending bill that would tie all pay for teachers to the students test scores.

 

What do you think about the numbers from these states? Let me know in the comments.

 

 

Stay tuned next time for the Top 5 Best Paying States For Educators.

 

 

By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for EducationJobSiteBlog, along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.