Questions About Teacher Pay And Benefits

  • Monday, October 14, 2019

In a recent conversation with a classified HCDE employee, she indicated that as a classified employee (non-teacher) that she would not be getting the annual two percent step raise that most teachers get every year. The step raise system is guaranteed to teachers (certified employees) every year. However it is suggested but not guaranteed for classified employees.

She also said her rent continues to go up whether she gets the raise or not. Yes, it does because the apartment she rents is subject to the property tax increases that are so popular with the county, Chattanooga, and city of Red Bank.

While she has a responsible job with the school system, she doesn't make the $1,000 + pay per week that most teachers make or the $1,800+ a week that principals make.

Not to make light of the teaching profession, but to the detriment of all other families in Hamilton County, how much more can we raise the rent and house payments of non-HCDE employees? Also teachers will receive about half their normal pay upon retirement for the rest of their lives.  Very few workers have retirement benefits even close to that. 

One final note, if you doubled teacher pay tomorrow, would it make any difference in student achievement? If so does that imply that teacher effectiveness depends solely on dollars per hour, or dedication to the profession?

The numbers I used come directly from the HCDE website.

Harry Presley

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