Study: S Carolina teachers poorer today than in 2008

CHARLESTON, S.C. – A study by the National Education Association says South Carolina teachers are poorer today than they were during the Great Recession.

The Post and Courier reported Tuesday that the study says salaries for teachers in the state have crept up to about $51,000, but haven’t kept pace with inflation. In real terms, last year’s teacher salaries were worth 7 per cent less than they were during the 2008-09 school year.

Advocacy group Charleston Teacher Alliance says most members surveyed in 2015 said they had taken on an extra job or source of income to make ends meet. That struggle isn’t unique to teachers. The newspaper cites a recent Center on Budget and Policy Priorities report finding that wages have hardly grown in a decade despite gains in workers’ productivity.

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Information from: The Post and Courier, http://www.postandcourier.com