The Mackinac Center continues its watchdog/pitbull role today regarding school district spending by digging up some dirt on the Utica Community Schools.
The guys at Mackinac found that 31 UCS gym teachers earn more than the city’s police chief and 36 outpace the fire chief’s salary. After studying the district’s payroll, the center concluded that large majority of Utica physical education teachers make over $80,000.
The city of Utica fire chief earns $73,440. Before leaving in March, the Utica police chief made $79,000. The Utica Community Schools has 36 gym teachers who earn more than the fire chief and 31 phys ed teachers who earned more than the police chief.
The figures are a bit misleading because Utica is a tiny city while UCS is the second-largest school district in Michigan. Yet, I suspect few taxpayers would understand the logic behind paying gym teachers more than police chiefs.
At the same time, the Mackinac Center points out, UCS closed four of its elementary schools last year to save money as it faced a $33 million deficit in 2010-11. The district’s website blamed politicians for the “ongoing failure by the state Legislature to bring about stable and ongoing financial reform with regard to Michigan’s public schools.”
Yet, half of the district’s 52 gym teachers make more than $89,500 a year.
That is a pretty stunning figure.
The Mackinac Center has questioned UCS finances several times in the past and has made scrutiny of school district budgets their specialty.
Mackinac’s website, michigancapitolconfidential.com has compiled the salaries of gym teachers at many of the districts throughout the state in an effort to highlight how the public school’s salary system compensates based only on seniority and level of education.
i went to school here the gym sucked ass
My question in response to the information presented here is what kind of degree does the city's police chief require to hold that position? Does he or she have to continually go back to school on his/her own money to maintain his position? The only way the salaries listed would be as high as they are is if the teachers mentioned hold at least a master's degree and possibly a doctorate, have several +15 credentials, and have been working in the district for 15+ years. Many PHYSICAL EDUCATION teachers also coach which may impact these numbers as well.
Just a couple things to think about before people start screaming that "gym" teachers are making so much money…
– Continuing education is a must for all teachers and is on the teachers dime. It is required or they lose their certification.
– The Physical Education degree (bachelors, masters, etc.) holds the same weight and required the same college tuition, classes and MTTC certification test as other teachers.
– When someone says the word "gym" they almost immediately attach a negative connotation to the class. The class is Physical Education and it is a real class. There is a real curriculum in Physical Education with real assessments. It is not the same as in the past classes where some teachers just rolled out the balls.
– Lastly, rather than complain that Physical Education teachers make too much money people with other jobs should be advocating for their own profession and its validity. They should be asking for more money not pulling everyone back to where they feel it is acceptable pay. I'd be willing to hedge my bet that companies love the fact that the working public is screaming that their neighbors are making too much money. By that rationale eventually everyone will be working for peanuts and that serves them just fine. Tearing down others to make yourself feel better about your situation will not solve your problems.
One item that isn't delineated here is that many (not all) phys educ teachers have a 2nd job — coaching a sport after school. And coaching is a time-consuming job – long hours, 6 days a week. I don't begrudge them the extra income – they earn it and then some.
I find it horrible that people complain about how much others make, when they themselves would not want to be held to the same scrutiny. In case you have not noticed, in many instances the ONLY exercise a child gets is the required phys ed class they take in school – and that is only because it is mandatory.
ALL teachers in a district are on the same pay scale, regardless of their teaching subject. So before you start to single out one group, you may want to provide the appropriate context for the article. Teachers bargain with a district as a unit – not based on curriculum. Per usual, presenting partial facts makes for a more sensational article – even if it leaves out all of the facts.
I think if you like the school atmosphere and work environment you should go get the qualification and become a teacher of your choice of subject area. Or after looking at this salary you think well I can do that too, than maybe you should go spend a week or month in a classroom before you spend 4-5 years for a college degree at the cost of about 60-70 thousand and then further on for a masters degree for about 20 thousand.
Good luck finding a job in Michigan and I hope you enjoy your parents of your students too.
God Bless anyone who choses a teaching profession or being a gym teacher with 50-70 students running running around with that noise level. I hope you have good insurance that pays for hearing aids because I think you will need them after 30 years. I don't know how teachers do it today…..Thanks but no thanks for that career. You can't pay me enough to walk in todays classrooms or to listen to parents.You deserve every penny you make.
Interesting that in Utica the students have to pay to play on sports, and as late as September of this year the Board was going to drop ALL Middle school sports because of budget cuts, they only kept the sports because of parent pressure. Also interesting that the Superintendent is one of the highest payed in the Macomb Area, yet Utica is losing students.
Utica Schools are among the worst, most wasteful, and most bloated in the state and always have been. I wouldn't send my children there if you paid me a million dollars to do it.
Interesting– Utica Community Schools makes AYP every year, making them one of the best. Congrats to all the teachers and parents in the district !
Tired of hearing about "continued education on my own dime". Everyone in the world has to pay for schooling with their own money or risk being left behind in the job place. Get over yourselves, for teachers i thought you would be smarter than that.
Of course you're "tired of hearing about 'continued education on may own dime.'" I'm sure you've never had to take any continuing education to keep a job, let alone stay current in your own field. Maybe the real point you're missing here is that the Mackinac Center is fomenting class warfare within the working classes by publishing numbers out of context, and people like you and Mr. Selweski are of the mindset to swallow that rhetoric whole–in Mr. Selweski's case, without performing the due diligence required of cub journalists. Here's a fact for you–Michigan's state senators and representatives are payed roughly $72,000 per year, plus they receive nearly $10,000 per year for per diem expenses. After six years of service, they receive lifetime health care at the state's expense. Some of them never made it through community college, and many more don't know the US or Michigan Constitutions very well at all. And here's the kicker–they only actually work 90 days per year. Let me know when that fact irritates you as much as the "continuing education on my own dime" discussion does.
Typical Republican mentality…expect cops and teachers to work for $15.00 an hour…ain't gonna happen unless you hire total idiots, and that is what some people want.
Do you realize that physical education teachers must go to school for at least a bachelor’s degree and many have master’s degrees. A police officer only requires police academy school, which is 15 weeks long. The chief usually does not have to have a degree.
I have an undergrad degree in special education, which is a 5-year degree and 160 credits and am not a dumb jock that many associate with PE. I was Magna Cum Laude in my degree in special education. plus I have a master’s degree in adapted physical education. The adapted physical education classes are much more difficult than my undergrad degree. My classes are anatomy and movement concepts and behavior classes and I was required to do many unpaid practicums. In fact I have had to work unpaid in the districts for 6 semesters for student teaching. That was one for elementary certification in the general education and one in special education and 4 in adapted physical education for students with disabilities. I also have to pay to continue going to school after graduation. The state is requiring a new reading class, which will run me $2000 this year. The district does not pay for this. I will have to continue to go to school to remain licensed and take continuing education classes.
Think how much physical education is needed. 50% of kids are overweight and many are experiencing heart disease, diabetes and many other health issues. Kids are inactive and as they get older the health problem will continue. A main purpose of physical education is to introduce the child to movement concepts and activities so they will develop a life long love of being active. Physical education is not just basketball and fun games. It is creative movement, drama and dance, social experiences and learning about diet and body movement. PE helps with learning and attention. Pe helps students become aware of healthy bodies and what foods they should eat.
I could go on and on of the benefits. It seems many of you just believe that teachers should be babysitters and paid 30k a year. Teachers do not really get the summers off. The kids get out June 18th and teachers do not end til the end of June and then they go back the first week of August. Teachers need to differentiate instruction and prepare lessons for the coming year. The same lessons are not used year after year.
I pay for many of my own materials because the district cannot afford to. I am at the school late planning my lessons.Most teachers do not make 90k a year. That teacher must have a doctorate and must coach. I make half of that..