A bill that passed out of the legislature’s Education Committee and now awaits approval in the Appropriations Committee includes proposals on critical educations issues including a mandated minimum starting salary for teachers.
At a recent meeting in Glastonbury, teachers shared with legislators Rep. Jill Barry, Rep. Jason Doucette, and Senator MD Rahman why it’s so important that the state raise starting salaries.
Special education teacher Matt Zabroski told legislators that, while salaries in well-resourced districts are generally reasonable for teachers at or near the top of the salary schedule, starting salaries are a big concern in districts across the state.
The middle school teacher said he recently conducted research into starting salaries for professions that require at least a bachelor’s degree, and nationally, the profession with the lowest starting salary was elementary education, with a starting salary of $32,000. While starting salaries in Connecticut are above that, the cost of living is also higher here, he said, and many districts start teachers, who have significant student loans to pay back, at salaries of less than $50,000.
“I did my student teaching in Plainfield,” said Austin Longendyke, a fourth grade teacher at Buttonball Elementary. “When it came time to apply for a job, I found out that starting salaries in Plainfield were $8,000 less than in distracts nearby. I’m not in it for the money, but I need to pay the rent.”
The teachers said that better resourced districts, including Glastonbury, rarely hire teachers in the first years of their career, instead choosing to hire educators who have already proven themselves in higher needs districts.
Library media specialist Julie Veschi, who came to the profession after beginning her career in the corporate world, noted, “Conditions are more difficult in districts where beginning teachers can find their first jobs. I started in New Haven and I got through it, but I had to have a second job to make ends meet.”
“As we face a teacher shortage, we’re trying to convince people to leave other professions to become teachers,” said Glastonbury Education Association President Kristen Basiaga. “But starting salaries are prohibitively low for mid-career individuals who are starting out as teachers, and then they also lose out on their earned Social Security benefits when they retire.”
Veschi noted, that, while the students she works with every day make her confident she made the right decision in leaving her corporate career behind, “These days fewer people are choosing to change careers and become teachers. In the corporate world employees get more respect, better pay, and they have more flexibility—including often being able to work from home.”
She added, “This career allows me to make a difference in students lives, but I will likely sacrifice half my Social Security earnings when I retire if Congress doesn’t repeal WEP/GPO.”
CEA continues to work with states across the country to advocate that members of Congress repeal WEP/GPO. Find out more.
Low starting salaries and WEP/GPO are two big factors contributing to the teacher shortage, and that shortage is changing how districts hire educators.
Teaching has changed considerably in the last few years as the teacher shortage has worsened, Zabroski said, with districts poaching educators from one another. “Teachers are more transient now. It used to be if you were hired in a district, you stayed in a district.”
“I’ve taught in three different districts, Longendyke said. “You can really see the differences in resources between districts, but I’ve been happy in every district where I’ve taught. Teachers wouldn’t have to shop around so much between districts if there was a statewide starting salary.”
Zabroski also used to work in a different district but administrators in Glastonbury sought him out for his expertise in special education and hired him at a higher step than he had been at in his previous district, resulting in a 25% pay increase.
Districts that aren’t as well resourced are losing out on many fronts, Zabroski said. “They’re paying a teacher’s salary, but they’re also paying to train them, provide professional development, and teach them how things are done in the district. If a teacher leaves after five to ten years for a $20,000 salary bump in another district, the first district is losing all their investment. A statewide starting salary would even the playing field.”
Make sure the bill that would raise teacher salaries moves forward—contact legislators today. And join us for Lobby Day on April 17 for a day of action with other CEA members and legislators at the State Capitol.
