Pay for La. Teachers Falls to $4,000 Below Southern Average

If it is true that "you only get what you pay for", then what do we expect to get from the next generation of school teachers in the State of Louisiana? In a new report from the Louisiana Radio Network, we learn that our Louisiana teachers are still underpaid when you consider the average pay for teachers in the southern states. In fact, their pay is now $4,000 annually less than those other states!

The amount Louisiana teachers is paid was only $2,300 under those other states last year, but those states gave their teachers significant pay hikes and now, even after our teachers got a slight bump in pay last year, the gap has now widened an additional $1,700 annually.

According to Larry Carter, the Louisiana Federation of Teachers President, teachers' work load has dramatically increased with the extra duties the pandemic has brought about, and now they learn that, by comparison, they're doing it for even less money when compared to similar states.

Carter says, “Most teachers we have been speaking to will tell you they are actually doing sometimes it feels like the work or the job of two sometimes three different people.” said Carter.

He goes on to say that while Louisiana was just playing catch up in regards to pay, other states were making strides in pushing ahead. Taking the pay disparity into consideration, Carter says this will result in teachers leaving Louisiana with their sights on higher pay. Apparently, it's already the case within Louisiana where pay rates vary significantly from parish to parish.

From Carter, “We see teachers and school employees relocating to the parishes where they get higher pay for the same kind of work we are doing. Unless we get federal stimulus money for local and state governments it is going to be hard to see us at least come close to reaching any kind of salary that will be commiserate with us gaining $4,000.”