Classroom educators currently are on the lowest end of the professional pay scale. It is important to fairly compensate educators not only based on the level of education they receive and years of experience obtained but also include a yearly required cost of living increase. The pay scales nationwide have not been proportionately adjusted to match cost of living increases over the last 15 years. Principals and Superintendents routinely make 6-figure salaries while most classroom teachers will never see $50,000.00 a year.
If our education system is to regain its international prominence then we need to elevate not only expectations on teachers (as we have with State and National Standards [NCLB and CCRS]) but our treatment and pay for educators.