Arizona is Failing its Teachers ‘Ranked Worst in America’

Educating America's children is tough. Teachers constantly struggle to win the hearts and minds of their students while keeping parents informed and standards up.

Teachers are required to stay current on the latest curricula and take continuing education courses, all while fighting a losing battle against shrinking budgets, dwindling attention, and diminishing resources.

According to a study, Arizona has been grappling with a perfect storm of issues. Our state has been struggling with a dubious title for some time: Arizona isthe worst place in America for educators. Arizona is ranked at the bottom when it comes to the way our education system treats teachers and school employees in our state.

READ: Arizona City Was Named the Worst Place to Live in Arizona

Why Arizona Ranks Among the Toughest States for Teachers

Arizona teachers make less than nearly every other state in the union. According to a survey conducted last year by Educators for Excellence, a mere 14% of teachers would recommend their profession to someone considering this job.

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Arizona Teachers: Overworked and Underappreciated

Most teachers work long hours, not just in the classroom but also tending to afterschool programs, grading papers, and developing class curricula on their own time. Yet, most struggle to make ends meet.

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Our teachers are overworked and underappreciated. They try to balance overcrowded classrooms while keeping up with administrative tasks and lesson planning. With supplies always falling short, many teachers use their own money to buy basic classroom supplies.

Arizona Teachers: A Shrinking Supply with a Growing Demand

Expanding staffing shortages also affect teachers and educators, as they absorb more of the workload. Arizona schools are constantly struggling to fill growing teacher vacancies.

At the beginning of last school year, more than  82% of the 7,500 vacant teaching positions were not filled. Some were taught by long-term subs or were staffed by someone who didn’t meet basic teaching qualifications.

For Arizona teachers, shortages continue to be an uphill battle. According to a study, Arizona ranked fifty out of fifty states; the average teacher salary is $52,157 per year. The only place with a worse ranking for teacher salaries is the District of Columbia.

Washington, DC's annual teacher salary is higher, but the cost of living in that area, along with other factors, brings it below Arizona on the list.

Sources: Educators for Excellence | Arizona Capitol Times | Arizona Auditor General | Business.org