Study finds Missouri teachers leaving because of pay

Pay is the number one reason Missouri teachers leave the profession, according to a new survey.

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education released a survey of 6,000 teachers, administrators and principals that shows 70 percent of Missouri teachers have considered leaving the teaching profession.

The survey also shows that administrators believe the biggest challenge in recruiting and retaining high quality teachers is also pay.

The average pay for teachers in Missouri is $48,293, which is almost $10,000 below the national average of $58,950, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

Missouri National Education Association political director Mark Jones said they are continuing to fight for fair wages for Missouri teachers.

“One thing the report make clear is that educators are feeling under immense economic pressure,” Jones said. “A teacher shouldn’t have to work two jobs after completing a college degree, and no one should really have to work two jobs to support their family if they are working a full-time job”

In a report done by the National Education Association, Missouri is ranked 43 of of the 50 states in the average salary for teachers.

“No one goes into teaching thinking they are going to have a corner office, you go into teaching because you love students and you want to inspire them,” Jones said. “But just like any job, you want to be supported in your profession, and more importantly, you want the freedom to do your job well.”

Jones said school districts are starting work on this growing problem.

“There is a commitment growing in the education community that we need to work on ensuring our teachers feel well compensated and everyone that works in the school feels well compensated,” Jones said. “It’s a difficult job.”

Hickman High School teacher and Columbia MNEA president Kathy Steinhoff says teachers may be on the move to other states because of pay.

She said the one of the only ways to recruit and retain quality teachers is fair pay.

“A lot of people will always say teachers don’t do it for the money, and that’s true,” Steinhoff said, “but when you need to support your family when you need to be able to put a roof over your own head it’s important what your salary is, and we don’t make comparable at all to professionals that have the same amount of experience as we have.”

Steinhoff said the lack of funding is coming from little support from the state.

“And we right now have a state legislature that continues to take away from public education instead of contributing to it, so it’s a real worry in the state of Missouri,” she said.

The report was presented to the state Board of Education at its meeting last week.