Debating if public school teachers are over- or under-paid is a hot topic whenever cuts to education funding loom or student test scores are released.
Statewide, the average teacher salary declined slightly during the 2011-12 academic year to $68,531, the Bakersfield Californian reported.
A new online comparison tool lets the public compare average teacher salaries by school district, revealing that Los Gatos teachers are far above the average teacher pay in California.
Overall, Santa Clara County educators are on-par with the state average.
But the California Teachers Association doesn't put much stock in the comparison tool. Teacher salary scales are configured with formulas that take into account years of experience and education level, but many young and early-career teachers have been laid off due to budget cuts in recent years.
Teacher Salaries School District Average Pay Student Enrollment Campbell USD $69,592 7,683 Campbell High School District $69,117 7,408 Lakeside Joint SD $75,905 88 Los Gatos Union Elementary $74,666 3,106 Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High $92,414 3,246 Loma Prieta Elementary SD $69,767 445 Moreland Elementary SD $69,874 4,402 Saratoga Elementary SD $82,288 2,109 Source: Ed-DataCalifornia public school teachers make 16.1 percent less than other college graduates, according to the California Teachers Association. The disparity increases for those with master's degrees.
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