UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS School of Education REPORT ON SCHOOL SALARIES IN KANSAS FOR THE YEAR 1944-1945 Salaries of more than eight thousand schocl employees have been tabulated for this report. Many of these have been tabulated several times, in relation to amount of salary, type of service, length of service and amount of academic or professional preparation. Separate information is reported with reference to different types of elementary and high schools, also with reference to school principals, superintendents, nurses, custodians, coaches, etcetera. It has been possible by means of separate tabulations to compare the salaries paid in the western half of the state with those in the eastern half. Sixty-two county s crintendents provided for use in this report the teacher-lists, clascvifications, and salaries, (or some part of these) pertaining to their counties, although sixteen of these teacher- directories lacked information on salaries or arrived too late to be included in this study. Ina similar way fifty-nine superintendents of first or second class cities in the state cooperated in providing salary information. So did close to two hundred principals of rural high schools and superintendents of smaller cities. As in preceding years, the analyses presented in this report are made by the University School of Education as a service to-school officials in the state and to all other interested persons. It is assumed that definite knowledge of prevailing practices and trends is necessary for intelligent planning and administration. It should be kept clesrly in mind in reading this report that teachers do not actually receive the salaries stated. The contract salary is in a sense only a nominal salary, for, after deductions have been made for income taxes and for the teacher retirement annuity fund, the monthly compensation is considerably reduced. While the reduction varies according to family status, etcetera, it may exceed twenty percent of the reported selary for some individuals and be much less for others. Such reductions are compulsory and defensible, but it must be noted that a portion of the stated monthly salary does not come intc the hands of the employee for his immediate and personal use. One may also find it desirable to recognize that salary increases, as compared with the preceding year, have in many instances been accompanied by probable deteriorati n in teaching personnel. In one county (which pays notably low salar, =: to its teachers) 87 per cent of its fifty-four teachers in one-room schools are teaching this year on an emergency (4h) or normal training (3) certificate. This situation is unusual only in 2 the size of the percentage. Emergency teachers are also employed in city schools, both elementary and high schocls. Many cities are using emergency appointees wh« would doubtless not qualify for teaching according to usually approved standards. Certainly one may speculate on the probability that more adequate salaries would have enabled schools to retain many of the experienced and competent teachers which they have lost. The school systems which pay their teachers above the present average are not the ones which employ emergency teachers or have depleted staffs. Reasonably competent men and women are not compelled now to submit to grave underpayment for school service bewause of the absence of other economically better opportunities. Table I. Teachers! Salaries in Flementery Schools of Kansas, 1944-45 Groups based on Number of Median selary Middle fifty per- types of school teachers per month cent of monthly salaries One-teacher 2127 $125.00 #107.00--$134.00 (8 month basis) Two-or-more-teacher 1223 139.00 126.00-- 152.00 (9 month basis) City schcols 1274 166.00 146.00-- 187.00 (9 month basis) In Table I, 'city schools' means those in cities of the first or second class. Two-or-more teacher. schosls are inclusive of those in cities of the third cle:s. Tne median (expressed to nearest doklar) is used aS the average or .ypical salary for each group of teachers. The median splaries for this year are $20.00, $14.00, and #22.00 higher than in the year 1943-44 for the respective groups as listed in Table I. There is an obvious contrast between the typical (median) salaries in the three groups of teachers as indicated. But more striking contrasts exist between different schools of the same type in the same county or between the median salaries in neighboring counties. As for example, in two counties in the southeastern part of the state, the median salary of teachers in one room schools is $25.00 higher in one than in the other county. In the northwestern portion of the state, less than five percent of the rural teachers in one county are paid as much as $120.00 per month this year (some as low as $80.00). In a near-by county, all but five percent of the rural teachers receive $120.00 of more (up to $210.00 per month). Some small graded schcols are paying no teacher less than $185.00 per month; others pay no teacher more than $100.00. In city elementary schools, eighteen teachers are paid less than $105.00 per month this year -- sixteen of these are in one city sf the second class. Perhaps there are definite advantages in designating individual school systems in the state which have 4 commendable policy and practice relative to school salaries (and there are some). Also, counties or communities which pay very inferior salaries might be named, But it is net the purpose of this study to identify schocls in relation to salaries paid ner to explain the situation found, but tc disclose what are the prevailing practices. at}, a ik Table II. Salaries of Various Administrative and Supervisory Employees in Kansas Schools, 1944-45 Type of positicn No. of Median salary persons per month . Supt. city of second class 49 $297.50 (12 month basis) . Supt.city of. third class 12h 227.00 (12 month basis) . High school principal 63 254.00 cities - lst & 2nd class Comm. H.S. (12 mo. basis) High schocl prinicpel 128 217.00 Ki He O&. and grad e¢lass cities (12 month basis) dr, H.-S.. principal. 29 230.00 all high schcols reporting (16 month basis) — . Elem. school principal 131 221.00 cities cf three classes (9 month basis) « Director, Voc. Agric; all high schcols 63 219.00 (12 month basis) . Athletics cvzach cities - lst & 2nd class D2 , 29 1550 (9 month basis). Athletics ccach 35 247.00 R.H.S. & cities cf 3rd class (9 month basis) School nurse 2 1.00 (9 month basis) . Schs2l custsdian 213 14,65 cities of lst & 2nd class per year school custodian 6 1350 cities of 3rd class : a, Middle fifty percent of salaries $256 .00-$351.00 209 .00=—-246.00 22h,.00--282.00 199.00--233.00 196.00--284.00 201.00--266.00 210.00-~227.00 223.00--273.00 225,00-~267.00 175.00--208.00 1280.00-1630.00 per year 1175.00-1540.00 per yeer If the prevailing practice seemed to be the employment of an individual for twelve months of service, as for a superintendent or director of vocstional agriculture, the salaries are reported here on that basis for the positions indicated. Then, even if some schools stated that the employtient was for ten months, it wes still necessary to tabulate all in the group on the basis determined (12 months) in order to secure comparability of monthly salary. It shoula be understood that the monthly basis employed attempts to cenfcrn te majority practice, but is not affected by deviations, such as the policy in a few schools to pay v what is cbviously a nine-month teacher's salary in twelve installments, in the interpretation of Table II, one may read that 49 superintendents in cities of the second class (item 1) receive an average (median) salary of $297.50 per month for the current scheol yeer. One-fourth of the number receive not more than $256.00, and one-fourth receive $351.00 cr more per month. The number of persens in each group is the tetal number for whom the information was provided, Community high school principals, coaches, etcetera are classi ied here with secsnd class city grcups because cf Similarity in size of Schcol. Elementary schocl Principal (item 6) is so reported only if it appesred that the perscn So-celied is more than a classroom teacher with uke usual duties and Salary of such. Most school custodians sre employed for a yearly period of twelve months, but, variations from this ar “sual. Some are paid extra for summer work on Schools, some are free (- 2ecept other employment during summer, some have additional duties sSlened (such as bus driver), itis evident, by comparing facts in Tables JT end II, that teachers in the élementary schools would fare abcut as well financially on the average (in many echools better} if they were to exchange positions with the schol custodian or janitor, Comparing the median Salaries in Table II with a Similar statement for the preceding year, 21] excepting two of the ten lucnthly salaries are from $26.00 t> $32.00 higher for the present year, The exceptions are éeleuentary schoo Brincipal and junior high scheol principal, which are Tespectively $6.00 and #25.00 jower. The school systems included in the reports of these tye vears were not identical but presumably they were both representative samplings, The median yearly salary of all schon] custodians as reported last year wes $1330.00, This year it is $125.00 higher for those in the larger schocls and $20.00 higher for those in cities cf the third class, Table III. Comparison cf Median Monthly Salaries as Paid in Eastern and Western Halves of the State, 1944-45 Type of School or Position Eastern Half of State Western Half f. State 2. Blem. teachers in two-or-more teacher schools Elem. teschers in city schools » Elem. school principal. grad. class .city 1. One-teacher schools $124.00 134.00 166.00 201.00 $128.00 166.00 219.00 . Elem. scheol principal 227.00 220.00 ist & 2nd class city . H.S, teachers 182.50 196,50 R.hwS., & 3rd class city . H.S. teachers 197,00 201.00 Ist & 2nd class city hos princi pal R.H.S. & 3rd class city | Ah OO 226.00 Hes pREnC pe | istj& 2nd class city pierre 290400 ae a, principal (211 schscls) 220.00 237.00 Supt. -- 3rd class city | 221.00 231,00 Supt. -- 2nd clags city : 280.00 , 302.00 . Custodian - 3rd class city 1275.00 1435.00 per year per year . Custodian - lst & 2nd class eity V300.00 | 2635.00 per year per year It is apparent (Table III) that the monthly and yearly salaries peid to schesl employees are higher in western than in eastern Kansas. This is true in all but three of the fourteen comparisons shown im Table III. Elementary and high school principals in cities of first and seccnd class (items 5 and 9) receive higher average salaries in castern Kansas. The average selary of elementary teachers in schosls of cities of the first end second class (item 3) is the same in the two ateas. Four cities of the first class were included in tabulations fer the eastern end none for the western area, but actuslly three of these four cities are quite comparable with some of the cities sf second class. The number of months on which these monthly sararies are based is the same for each item as in Tables [, Il, and 1V. 6 Taole IV. Salary Data Pertaining to High School Teachers According to Subjects of Instruction. (9 month basis) 1944-45 Number of teachers Subjects of Median salary instruction > per month Middle fifty percent of the salaries (A) Cities of first and second class end community high schools English 150 $192.00 $177.50 to 212.00 Natural Science Th ZO 196.00 -- 249.00 Social Science Le 196.00 181.00 -- 227.00 Commerce 10) 195.00 180,00 -- 220.00 Mathematics 98 200.00 183.00 -- 226.00 Industrial Arts 69 246.00 226.00 -- 265.00 Homemaking 79 £90.50 180,00 -- 205.00 Music Bh 208.00 108.00 -- 228.00 Foreign Language LF 191.00 180.00 ~- 219.00 Librarian LO 182.00 160.00 -- 191.00 Art 19 185.00 176.00 -~ 206.00 Py Sital genes © ore 250.00 221.00 -- 259.00 Physical Educ. + girs | 36 182,50 168,50 -- 202,50 Subject not str ted 98 202.00 191.00 -- 218.00 Teacher total 1037 199.00 ' 182.00 -- 227.00 (B) Cities of third class end rural high schools English Lie $185.00 $175.00 to 195.00 Natural Science 50 192.00 179.00 -- 215.00 Social Seience 80 185.00 176.00: =~ 196.00 Commerce Lie 191.00 177.00 -- 201.00 Mathematics 65 191.00 176.00 -- 203.00 Industrial Arts 3h 230.00 212.00 -- 250.00 Homemaking 101 186.00 174.00 -- 195.00 Music as 197.00 180.00 --— 205.00 Foreign Language la 177.00 160.00 -- 184.00 Librarian 7 OG ees ee MR Art ee RRR EUs ge | eeteeees Oe iain ocalet Physical Educ. ~— boys < ee ek Ore a re Physidal Eduei + girls <4) (60 3 soe Se ee eee Sub ject not stated 365 187.00 177.00. -- 201,00 - Teachsr total 1045 188.00 180.50 -- 201.00 One may read in Table IV, part A, that the median monthly salary of 150 teachers of English in the group of schools indicated is $192.00 during the present school. year. One-fourth of these teachers of English get less than $177.50 and one-fourth of the number receive $212.00 or more. Classes in journalism, speech and-literature are classified as Fnglish in this table. Other subjects also will be understood to include the various courses which may come under them. A teacher of two or more subjects was usually classified under the first named. This was not true if, for example, history were named first but three classes in science followed. This person was considered to be a teacher of science. As compared with salce.ies of teachers in similer subjects and similar groups of schools a year earlier, the monthly salaries for this year as reported in Table IV average $20.00 higher for teachers in group A schools, and $24.00 higher for teachers in the schcols of group B. Thus it appears that the salaries of high schcol teachers in general have increased about $200.00 per year, since one year agc. These increases vary from $14.00 per month in two of the subjects listed to $32.00 in two cther subjects. Granting that these average increases in the salaries of school employees are creditable and encouraging tc those whe are sincerely interested in the welfare of the public schtols of Kansas, it appears urgent that salary adjustments upward for teachers should be carried much further. Not only are many schools paying salaries far below the averages stated, but those which pay average salaries will tend to lose their better teachers to other schools whcse salaries are more nearly adequate. There is a denial of educational opportunity to these children whe must attend schools that do not attract and retain competent teachers. Supericr teachers can demand more than average salariss. Next in significance to this egretifying trend toward more suiteble compensation of teachers is the evidence that better professicn:l and academi.c preperation of teachers commands better compensation. In many schocls the difference in salary according te teacher preparaticn is clear and definite. Conversely, it should be recognized that low salaries usually buy the services of teachers more peorly prepared, as is indicated by the evidence in Table V. Only a fraction of the schools considered in this study provided the information needed fcr this tabulation. Se Table V - Relaticn c: Teachers’ Salaries to the Extent cf Academic and Professional Preparaticn, 1944-45 Index of Number of iledien selary Middle fifty per preparation teachers per month cent of salaries No college degree 180 $158.00 $137.00 -- 169.00 Bachelor degree 174 cy5,00 161.00 -- 184.00 Master degree 7 TOL .00. a eee ee + . In High Schools No college degree 25 164.00 eee HR Her Bachelor degree L12 182.00 178.00 -—— 231.50 Master degree 288 244.00 204.00 -- 255.00 8 It appears in Table V that teachers in the elementary school who have earned & baccalaureate degree are paid $17.00 per month more on the average than are those who have no college degree. Due tc the fact that many of the ' 'no degree! teechers have completed much of the college work required for a degree, this table does not fully state the actual difference between ‘degree! teachers and 'no degree! teachers. Some teachers lack only a few credit hours of completing a degree, and their salaries may reflect this fact. But, even so, eighty percent of the 'degree' teachers receive more salary per montn than the median salary of the 'no degrse' teachers. Few teachers in the elementary schcol are reported to have a master's degree althcugh it is evident that it commands a considerable salary differen- tial over the bachelor degree. Apparently cnly a few teachers in the high Schovels have no college ¢ vee. These are doubtless chiefly emergency and technical teachers. The wchools which provide this infcrmeticn on teacher preparation seem to regard teachers whe have earned a master's degree as eonsiderebly mcre valucble in high schocl than are the teachers of lesser preparation. Eighty-eight percent cf the 'master degree’! deachers surpass in their salaries the median compensation received by ‘bachelor degree' teachers. Length of experience in teaching is a much less significant factcr relative to salary than is the amount of preparation for their work. Doubtless this ¢ituation is as it shculd be. Much teaching experience may be of a quality which does not recommend the one whe has obtained it. But it must also be sdmitted that the preparation received by some teachers is inferior in quality, whatever its amount. Table VI - Relation of Mcnthly Salary of Teachers to Years of Teaching Experience (1944-45) One-teacher Graded elem. High schools schools schools (1) as )) (4) ao (6) (7) Years of Nose Median No. of Median No. of Median experience teachers salary teachers salary teachers salary O-1. 146 $126.00 — ich $141.00 oh $183.00 2-5 314 127.50 223 142.00 123 187.00 6-10 L60 129.00). 168 152.50 97 200.00 Li-15 61 130500 1:35 160.00 75 200.00 16-20 40 135300 123 162.00 81. 206.00 21=25 29 ih. .00 a3 164.00 at 209.00 26 or more 19 140,00 60 168.00 oe 199.00 It. may be assumed that the teachers fer whom information about years of teaching experience is made available are representative of the teachers included in this survey of school salaries. Then it may be ccncluded that in one-teacher schools less than sixteen years cf experience shows an almest negligible effect on the salary received. In graded elementary schools, exper- lence seems to have a definite bearing on salary from the fifth to the fifteenth year but a much less beering if the experience is longer. Among high schcol teachers, the chief positive influence of experience c.. salary seems to come between the fifth ard tenth years. Utherwise it is slight or negative, 9 There is reason to believe that the years of experience, without competent direction and supervisisn of that experience, are even less cf a factor than they seem to be in securing increases in salary for teachers. Twe cther factors which are probably much more influential may account for most of the salary increases which are disclosed. One cf these is the fact that not a few teachers are extcnding their preparation during those years in which there are salary increases. The secund factur is the shifting, with experience, of the better teachers to other schools which pay more adequate salaries, as from cne-teacher to graced elementary schools, and from these to hizh schools. The two factcrs may often operate jointiy. In providing information for this report some schccl administrators attached supplementary cbservaticns and explanations. These included: "Due to teacher shortage, science and industrial arts not offered this year;" "Vocational agriculture and music dropped because teachers were not available;" "We are short two full-time teachers;" "Dropping two teachers and combining classes made necessary by shortage of funds3" "Operating this year with three high school and three elementary teachers instead cf six and four respectively as a few years ago". A few schcols report that teachers of music, industrial arts, and vocational agriculture are aployed jointly by two neighboring scheols. Others comment: "This teacher is unsatisfactory but available"; Rev. is teaching as 4 substitute"; "My wife is teaching until we can find someone else quelified for the subjects". A superintendent in a smaller city seys, "1 teach six classes a day, ceach athletics, and take care of administrative duties. Other teachers are carrying similar loads." Another administrator refers to the difficulties imposed by csoperation in war-time situaticns. i pe tiagt ill * 8 i The Faculty of the School of Education will meet Tuesday January 2, 1945 at 4:30 P.M. in 117 Fraser. A description of the proposed course A205 Radio in Education is included with this announcement. The recommendation that this course be included in the offerings of the School of Education is the chief item of business. Deane W. Malott Chancellor Education A205. RADIO IN EDUCATION - 2 hours credit. second semester and summer session. Deals primarily with the development of radio in education and its utilization in educational activities. Intended for teachers, coordinators, sv crvisors and administrators. Consideration given to the inv zration of radio in the general school program; to the varied uses of radio in elementary and secondary schools; to radio equipment, productions, trans- criptions; and to curricular modifications. Opportunity provided for reading, discussion, appreisel, and experimen- tation with reference to the utilization of radio in school; also for script writing, demonstrations, and visits to broadcasting stations. Prerequisite: 15 hours of Education.