Re: Howard Voss' Testimony

[Rick Tarara <rbtarara@SPRYNET.COM>]

No doubt that low salaries KEEP many out of the teaching profession, but for
those who enter but stay only a few years, I suspect that the money isn't
the primary reason they leave since they did know the pay structure before
entering the profession (as did we ;-).

Rick

----- Original Message -----
From: Daniel L. MacIsaac <Dan.MacIsaac@NAU.EDU>
To: <PHYS-L@LISTS.NAU.EDU>
Sent: Wednesday, June 23, 1999 1:02 PM
Subject: Re: Howard Voss' Testimony


> > the same class rooms).  Low pay relative to other 'professions' may also
> > contribute to the attrition, but I doubt it is a major factor.
> >
> > Rick
>
> Rick,
>
> I teach MS and HS science teachers as part of my job.  Recruiting is a
> tremendous problem due to salaries.  Some teachers here in AZ will start
at
> $20k/yr, after 4-5 yrs of college.  Many admire their own teachers and
would
> like to emulate them, but can't afford to pay the loans and bills and eat
> on the salary.  A HS Chemistry teacher can start at 2X the $$ working for
> industry here in AZ.  Raytheon Missles sends buses up here to grab
> all of our physics grads (they have the cruise missle contract) starting
> at $40k, which is higher than I started here at NAU.
>
> See:   http://www.ade.state.az.us/prodev/certification/salaries.htm
>
> Pay is a real problem, at least here in AZ.  Summer work fighting forest
> fires just doesn't make up the difference...
>
> Dan M