| Teachers in Luzerne
County were the best paid in the region last year while those in Monroe
County earned the least.
Luzerne teachers are also among the most experienced -- which drives up their salaries. Teachers in Monroe are among the least experienced.
Whythe Keever, spokesman for the Pennsylvania State Education Association, says years of teaching experience are a key factor in salaries.
Of the 11 public school districts in Luzerne, 10 had average teacher salaries that were above the state average last year. Only Wyoming Area did not. The state average was $48,346.
However, at least half of the teachers at all 11 districts have more than 20 years experience.
Of the 10 public school districts in Lackawanna, just Scranton and Dunmore had average teacher salaries above the state average. Most Lackawanna districts also have experienced teaching staffs. None of the districts had administrator salaries above the state average.
"We have a very seasoned and experience staff," says Dunmore Superintendent Charles Mecca. The district has not been able to see any savings from retiring teachers because most of the staff is not of retirement age, Mr. Mecca says. For example, only four teachers will be retiring this year.
"That's why the (salary) numbers are high," he says.
TOP SALARIES IN NANTICOKE
Teachers at Greater Nanticoke in Luzerne had the highest average teacher salary in 1999-00, of the 7,235 classroom teachers in 37 area public school districts throughout seven counties. Those counties are Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe, Pike, Susquehanna, Wayne and Wyoming.
Greater Nanticoke's average annual teacher salary -- $55,905 -- was well above the state average. Greater Nanticoke also had the most experienced teaching staff, with about 77 percent of the teachers in the district having more than 20 years experience.
"We have a lot of older teachers," says Greater Nanticoke Superintendent Anthony Perrone.
The district expects to see a drop in its average teacher salary in upcoming years as many of those experienced teachers retire, he says. The retirements will enable the district to hire less experienced teachers at a lower salary.
Teachers typically receive salary increases for each year they work within a district -- called steps. They also receive salary increases based on their educational degrees -- called columns.
Despite the high average teacher salary, the district's average administrator salary was below the state average. Greater Nanticoke administrators earned an average of $68,715 last year. The state average was $73,351.
The district cut back its administrative staff in 1996, Mr. Perrone says. At that time, the state was going to take over the district because it was plagued with very low scores on the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment test.
Administrators at Hazleton, which is Luzerne's largest school district, put a three-year wage freeze on teachers and offered no retroactive pay while they negotiated a new teachers' contract, says Hazleton Superintendent Geraldine Shepperson. Still, the district had an average teacher salary of $50,049.
Hazleton is also trying to reduce its average administrator salary, which was $79,105 last year, she says.
"It's high," Mrs. Shepperson says. "The board is very concerned."
To combat that, newly hired administrators start at much lower starting salaries, she says.
LOW SALARIES IN POCONOS
The four high-growth school districts in Monroe -- East Stroudsburg, Pleasant Valley, Pocono Mountain and Stroudsburg -- had some of the lowest average teacher salaries. The districts also had small percentages of experienced teachers. Their administrator salaries were also below the state average.
Pocono Mountain, which is the largest district in the seven counties with 10,151 students and 606 classroom teachers last year, had just 18 percent of its teachers with 20 years or more experience. The average teacher salary in the district was $40,467 last year. Administrators earned an average of $69,619.
Pleasant Valley Superintendent Frank Pullo says his district, like others in Monroe, hired 25 to 30 new teachers this school year -- most of whom had just seven to eight years experience. The average teacher salary at Pleasant Valley last year was $40,338 while the average administrator salary was $62,622.
The district has trouble keeping administrators because neighboring school districts in the Lehigh Valley pay much more, he says. To attract administrators without increasing salaries, the district gives new administrators the option to sign a contract that gives them a bonus if they agree to remain in the district at least three years, he says. For example, principals get a $7,500 bonus, he says.
"If the principals leave the district before the three years are up, they have to pay us back the $7,500," he says.
Another district on the low side of the teacher and administrator salary scales is Susquehanna's Forest City Regional. Forest City had an average teacher salary of $40,167 and an average administrator salary of $61,250.
"We're trying to hold the costs for taxpayers," says Forest City Superintendent Bernice Lukus.
Wayne Highlands School District in Wayne County had the highest average administrator salary last year -- at $79,395. The district's average teacher salary was $49,140 -- which was also above the state average.
Superintendent Paul Edwards points to a seasoned administrative staff as the reason for the high salaries.
"We have high quality administrators with lots of experience," he
says. "It's a veteran staff. Most of our teachers have many years
experience, too... That's why we have higher salaries -- higher experience and
higher quality." |
