TEACHER QUALITY, RECRUITMENT, AND RETENTION

1. Student/Teacher Ratio

Definition: This indicator represents the number of students in a school or district compared to the number of teaching professionals. 

Significance:  At the urging of education professionals many states have sought to reduce the student/teacher ratio in order to enhance the likelihood that students, especially in the early grades, benefit from more direct attention by the teacher.

HISTORICAL/TREND ANALYSIS, Student-Teacher Ratio

Data  reflects South Carolina (SC) average, United States (US) average, and Southeast (SE) average.  The southeast region consists of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

Source: National Center for Education Statistics 2005-06 Data   2004-05 Data    2003-04 Data   2002-03 Data   2001-02 Data

Selected State Rankings, 2005-06 (“1” represents state with lowest reported number of pupils per teacher. States are ranked using a standard competition ranking method that accounts for ties occurring when two or more states have the same average number of students per teacher.)

2. Teachers’ salaries

Definition:  Teachers salaries represent teacher pay. They do not include benefits, the value of which will enhance compensation packages.

Significance:  State have sought to attract more and better teachers by raising teacher pay. Some states such as South Carolina are also encouraging teachers to pursue advanced studies and national certification by awarding salary bonuses to those who are successful at achieving those milestones.  As states compete for the best teachers in an environment characterized by a national teacher shortage and by federal requirements that all teachers be “highly qualified,” they will often use salaries to lure the best teacher candidates to their districts.  

HISTORICAL/TREND ANALYSIS, Average Annual Salaries for Teachers

Data  reflects South Carolina (SC) average, United States (US) average, and Southeast (SE) average.  The southeast region consists of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

Source: American Federation of Teachers Survey and Analysis of Teacher Salary Trends 2002-03, 2003-04, and 2004-05 Data    1999-00, 2000-01, and 2001-02 Data 

Selected State Rankings, 2004-05 (“1” represents state with highest average teacher salary)

Rev.11.09.2007