Worcester Massachusetts has been my home for my entire life. Due to the amazing and hardworking teachers I have encountered in this area, I hope to one day become a teacher too. For many years, I assumed I would even become a teacher in this town so I could be surrounded by the family and community I have grown to love. However, after researching starting salaries of teachers in Worcester Massachusetts, I have begun to question if remaining in this region would allow me to live comfortably and successfully. This concern of mine brings up a larger ethical issue: poor teacher pay can result in teacher burnout because it forces educators to take on additional jobs to simply make ends meet. The gap between Massachusetts living wage and a starting teacher salary has forced many new teachers to balance several jobs, burn out quickly and has led to an increase in attrition. 

According to the numbers from Zip Recruitor, “the average annual pay for a first year teacher in Massachusetts is $50,882 a year”. In Worcester Massachusetts where I'm from, the hourly pay is even lower at $22 dollars an hour, with an annual income of $46,488. However, the living wage in this town is $25 an hour, which means new teachers can be making less than a living wage! On top of struggling to pay for basic needs such as food and shelter, new teachers have to balance paying off student loans. Balancing all these things in addition to a job that is already emotionally demanding can be extremely difficult. As said by an aspiring educator, Hannah Spinner, “‘while there is nothing like seeing our students succeed, that kind of reward doesn’t pay off our student loans, cover our insurance bills, or put food on the table. We are professionals, we have pedagogical expertise, and we should be compensated for it”. Teachers are the backbone of our society and are how we invest in our country's future; they should be treated as such!

So how can we make a change? I am pushing for a local policy push to pair existing loan supports with teacher’s salaries when they enter a district. School districts such as the ones in Worcester can actively integrate existing loan forgiveness programs into their retention and compensation strategies. Two major loan programs that already exist are: Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) or the Massachusetts Educator Loan Repayment Program (ELPR). These programs on their own can be extremely complicated and as a result underutilized by teachers. But, this local policy push would automatically enroll teachers when they are hired, alleviating the stress and confusion that comes with signing up yourself!  Join me in urging this policy switch to integrated loan repayment programs. By signing this petition we can help advocate for teachers in Massachusetts and reduce financial stress. Together we can make a difference, helping one teacher avoid burnout at a time!

Resources: 

https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/First-Year-Teacher-Salary-in-Worcester,MA​ 

https://www.nea.org/nea-today/all-news-articles/state-teacher-pay