Professional Pay for Oregon's Quality Educators

Why do Oregon's public school and community college employees deserve adequate compensation?

Oregon teachers and education support professionals are highly qualified, experienced, and committed. Our teachers hold advanced degrees and forego more lucrative employment because they are committed to Oregon’s future. Our educators work hard to minimize the effects on inadequate education funding and provide great public schools for every student.

Oregon teachers average 14 years of teaching experience. As the state’s education workforce ages, its demographics bring salary costs up. The good news is that our teachers are not only seasoned, but also well-educated; 51 percent hold a Masters degree or higher, a larger percentage than in any other western state. Oregon, as one of only eight states to require a Master’s degree in the licensure renewal process, has among the highest licensure standards in the nation.

As consumers, employers, property owners, and citizens, we all depend on an educated workforce. Funding public education is an investment in Oregon's future.

A January 2008 study by the National Education Association based on 2005-06 data revealed the average one-year increase in teacher salary and higher education faculty salaries did not keep pace with inflation.

These national trends also held true for education service professionals in Oregon. Oregon’s school and community college employees were hit hard when dramatic education budget cuts in 2003 and 2005 led to salary freezes, rollbacks, and “raises” that fell short of cost of living indexes. Those cutbacks came on the heels of a steady reduction of public education funds (when adjusted for inflation) for over a decade. In all, public education had lost more than 1 billion dollars over 12 years.

OEA is Reversing the Trend

In Fall 2006, OEA’s efforts to reverse these trends gained traction. Oregonians elected a pro-public education majority to the Legislature. A large majority of those candidates were recommended by OEA and assisted by OEA members’ voluntary political contributions through OEA-PIE, the Association’s political action committee.

During 2007, when Oregon’s economy and state revenues showed evidence of revitalization, OEA staff and members were working hard at the State Capitol to make the case for reinvestment in Oregon’s public schools and community colleges. Lawmakers made that reinvestment, restoring lost programs and staff in many districts.

Meanwhile, OEA members bargaining contracts for their colleagues also have been working hard around the state to reverse the trend, backed by OEA settlement standards that call for reinvestment. Settlements accomplished this year are starting to regain lost ground against the cost of living in many communities.

But there is still work to be done. Community Colleges did not receive the same level of reinvestment as K-12 public education in the 2007 legislative session, and many communities did not benefit as much as others from the statewide increase in reinvestment. Although the poor economic forecast for 2008 will not allow any budget improvements this year, economists expect Oregon’s economy to recover in 2009 — creating a more favorable opportunity for increased community college and district funding in the 2009-2011 budget biennium.

More on Professional Pay for Educators

The National Education Association (NEA) at www.nea.org/pay has a wealth of materials and extensive research with national and local data comparing teacher, education support professional, and higher education salaries to similar professions. The site also has tools to calculate local living wages and to start your own local pay campaign.