Massachusetts ranks as top state for teachers

“It gets no better than the children”, said Emily Klinedinst, a Pitt County teacher.

The study looked at average starting salaries for teachers, median salaries, school systems’ rankings, teachers’ income growth potential, spending per student, and student-teacher ratios, among other things. About 20 percent of first-year teachers in Arizona and 24 percent of our second-year teachers quit, far above the national average.

Former North Carolina teacher Sandra Leigh said that teachers need more respect and pay in order to be competitive in the state.

Perhaps the WalletHub study gives a peek into why. Which likely explains some of the other rankings. In general, the East saw higher rankings than the West. Michigan and Illinois paid their teachers the most, while Vermont and New York spent the most money per public school student.

She says the state Supreme Court’s ruling in the “Abbeville” case, that the state is not providing an adequate education in some of the poor, rural districts, will require lawmakers to make changes that should improve schools statewide.

Funding for teacher assistant positions and driver’s education was approved in the new state budget, as well as an average increase in pay for educators. Gee, I wonder why?

What makes a good teaching job?

North Carolina and West Virginia were at the bottom of the list, as 2015’s worst states for teachers.

“While that’s a lot of students, nearly the largest in the country in terms of this ratio, at the same time teachers in Arizona are making one of the worst compensations”, she said.

Reputation matters. Unfortunately, when it comes to public education, ours is lousy.