Many teachers are preparing to receive raises next year. Some school districts are even planning to give bigger raises this coming school year than in years prior. Some of that was made possible by an influx in COVID money and referendum funds. However, ironically the circumstances that contributed to some of the extra money are the same circumstances that may make that money not go as far.
Inflation has been all over the news lately and for good reason. The inflation rate at the end of October was 6.2% which is the highest since November of 1990. The reasons for the surge vary depending on who you ask. Increased government spending. Increases in consumer demand. But most economists agree that the main culprit is the supply chain issues. It doesn’t take a Harvard economist to understand that supply chain gaps will cause shortages and thus raise prices. (Here is one doing that anyway though.) At any rate, the cause is less important to most people than the impact.
If you are a lower- or middle-class worker your bottom line has been raised. Obviously, costs such as gas prices play a big role in almost everyone’s life, but even Thanksgiving turkeys were significantly more expensive than they were last year. Those Christmas gifts under the tree will likely set you back further too … that is if you can find all the things on your list at all.
Like many COVID-related things, people expected it to be temporary, but also like many COVID-related things it is still here. The other day US Treasury Secretary, Janet Yellen even said she believes we should stop referring to the inflation as “transitory.”
So, what does this mean for all the teachers getting their much-needed raises? Well in some cases the raise teachers are getting will outpace the rate of inflation and keep them ahead of the eight-ball. For other teachers, the raise they are scheduled to receive will be approximately equal to that of inflation which leaves them where they are now … and almost everyone agrees that where they are now is unacceptable.
An important point about pay and compensation for teachers is that it isn’t actually about the dollar amount. It is about the quality of life that money provides. You have teachers in some places who struggle to pay rent in the same district they teach in. Teachers who ironically can’t afford childcare though they watch 32 other people’s children all day. Teachers who can’t afford the gas to make their commute to the school they work at. In an environment of surging inflation, this won’t change any time soon. Worst still, the fact that those things won’t change certainly won’t prevent politicians and district leaders from giving themselves a pat on the back for giving teachers more money. The political will and money to boost teacher salaries might not come back around for another decade or so.
Most teachers I talk to about the raises are excited. And why shouldn’t they be? A raise, even a nominal one, is something to celebrate. They may however feel differently a year from now when they learn their purchasing power is only the same as it was before … or less.