http://cnsnews.com/news/article/us-depar...ficient-reading

The majority of Chicago public school children are not proficient at reading (79%) and math (80%).

The average salary of a Chicago teacher is more than $70,000 and this does not include the value of benefits.

The last offer by the city was a 16% pay increase over 4 years, I think.

your point?

Sometimes you have to strike for better schools.

We were watching something on WGN last night and they interrupted the show at around 10:30 to say there might be a strike. I'd forgotten all about it, probably because it doesn't impact me, but still interesting to see more about it.

If they can't read, perhaps they should spend time at the Derek Zoolander School for Kids Who Can't Read Good and Want to Do Other Stuff Good Too.

Seriously, I've seen the standarized tests, in Ohio at least, and frankly, they do not test whether you can read, they test whether you can take a test on reading.

Further, you can't put teaching a child to read on the shoulders of teachers. They are there to help, but PARENTS need to spend time reading with their children, and helping them learn to read.

I do not know about Chicago by many states have laws against srikes by teachers. If they are in violation of Law fire them.

that said are there really any parents that need to be told to read to their children? sorry stupid question. I have been reading to my daugther nighly, since before she could speak.

Teachers strikes in Illinois are as regular as the leaves changing colors. It's just a sign that it's fall.

And yes, there a lots of parents who need to be told to read to their children. Here is a quote from the website for Leap Learning, a Chicago program trying to help disadvantaged kids catch up.



I find those stats to be stunning. The parents need to be taught to be parents. I know what you mean Ed. We read to our kids nightly too, before they could speak. Frankly, that's how they learn to speak. But there are a lot of houses that don't even have books in them. I don't know how those kids catch up.

EdAudit - there are many parents who either don't have the time or the inclination to help teach their kids to read - and anything else. I think it's very sad.

I do not have the time for many things, being a parent is not one of them.

Sadly, the kids that aren't learning to read, also don't teach their children to read, and they don't teach their children to read. When you add in lack of understanding of birth control, having sex instead of reading, and no money for going out to do something, you get lots of kids who can't read! (Only slightly sarcastic)

SAIVE OUR SKOOLS!

Reports are they have agreed on the salary increase at 16% over 4 years. They can retire at 60 with annual retirement equal to 75% of their highest pay.

So in 4 years, the typical Chicago teacher will retire with cash benefits of more than $5,500 a month.

That is sweet, if the citizens of Chitown can afford it.

^^This. First, we need parents who care in inner-city districts such as Chicago. Sadly, there aren't nearly enough, and the results speak for themselves. No amount of money or pandering from local and federal politicians will change the results until these kids get better parents (sarcasm intended).

Some of the parents do care, but they don't have the skills to make a change. Sigh.

Let them move to Oklahoma. They can teach for $30,000 a year. With the new curriculum implemented this year, teachers are now not only evaluated on whether the student learns but how the student acts. My daughter said that after 3 weeks of school she is going to be evaluated and part of it is how many times she might have to tell a student to do something. If they have to repeat something to a student a certain amount of times then she is graded down on her evaluation. You evaluation score can get you terminated. She has 23 5 year-olds and one is 1 point above the score for MR (Mentally Retarded) and the parents refuse to accept that &/or don't care. By the time they get through Kindergarten they are expected to be able to read and write in paragraphs. This little girl can't recognize her name when she sees it written. Teachers aren't allowed to teach, they have to try to make sure that kids can pass what they are being tested on.

every school district has classes with learning challanged students and the evaluation system should take that into consideration. The unions for the teachers do not care anything about the student only the teachers salaries and benefits and how to maximize them (that is of course there job) so evaluations of the teachers is off limits. It is up to the pols. to fix education that is what we pay them for. A blank check is never the correct answer. PS: would love to have a job with guaranteed 4% increases over the next 4 years with the best benefits money can buy.

I guess the rush will be on now to move to Chicago and become a teacher.

not when compared to this group

http://longisland.newsday.com/schools/rankings.php?id=pay


Note data is from 2005 and salaries have gone up.

IMO, the only way to come close to "fixing" education in this country, if it's possible, involves both pay and accountability. Just like in the private sector we talk about the profit motive and how it's healthy, etc., you aren't going to attract the best and brightest minds to teaching unless you pay teachers well (and since standards of living and what the dollar will buy varies so much from place to place in this country, what sounds "outlandish" in one place would be poverty wages in another). Then, after you have paid them well, put some strict accountability into play. Teachers that aren't getting the job done need to be let go. But i disagree with the unspoken notion that it's outlandish for successful, devoted teachers to be paid :gasp: what someone in a white-collar private sector job is making.

Salary is just one part of the story; in the past governmental workers were paid less due to a great retirement (some retire at 50 and become an administrator at another district) and benefit package. Now the want to keep the benefits and retirement and get the salary of the private sector as well. Please note that private school teachers do not get paid anywhere as well as public school teachers in my area (it may be different in other areas). It is also noted that other goverenmet workers get paid just as well as teachers (sanitation, police, fire, janitorial) where is the money going to come from?

I agree it's not a simple fix and i'm talking about teachers, not administrators (who relative to teachers, are very much overpaid in my experience).

If you and I can agree that it is not a simple fix why can't the Pols. and Unions see it? Both sides see it as just a money issue.

If sanitation workers are getting paid "just as well" as teachers, i'm sorry to any sanitation workers i might be offending, but i think that's ridiculous.

The joke in Illinois is that to get good retirement benefits, marry an Illinois teacher. Their pension situation is a mess. Another example of giving out what you don't have-to the tune of $60+ billion in debt.

::wonders if any Chicago area school kids are reading these threads::