Low Salaries Among the Top Reasons For Vacant Teacher Positions in Arizona
A new report by the Morrison Institute for Public Policy at ASU states that more than 1,3000 Arizona classrooms are without a permanent teacher, and low salaries are the main problem.
Arizona's median pay of a secondary school teacher is only $48,020 compared to the national median pay of $55,800. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, this puts Arizona worst in the nation for primary school teacher salaries, along with being 48th for high school teacher salaries.
A recent survey found that about 526 teachers quit this school year, with 42% of Arizona teachers hired in 2013 leaving the profession within three years. Nearly three out of four administrators said their schools face immense teacher shortages -- 1,328 vacant positions to be exact.
A teacher shortage is an im...