California Teacher's Strike
The Numbers: How Does California Compare With New Mexico?
Teachers are on strike in the second-largest school district in the nation, the LA Unified School District (LAUSD), asking for higher pay, smaller class sizes, more money for counselors, nurses, and librarians, and a reduction in the time-consuming testing that has so irritated teachers in New Mexico.
Demographically, the LAUSD is not very different from Gadsden Independent School District: 73% Latino, 32% English Language Learners. Gadsden is 97% Hispanic with 37% English Language Learners. The Las Cruces School District is 76% Hispanic. I was unable to find the proportion of students in the LCPSD who are English Language Learners, but I would guess it to be between 23 and 29 percent. The New Mexico total is about 15%.
Average Teacher Salary in the LA School District: $75.000
Average Teacher Salary in Albuquerque: about $53,000
Average Teacher Salary in Las Cruces: about $50,000
Average Teacher Salary in Anthony NM: About $49,000
Cost of Living Adjustment: Someone earning $75000 in Los Angeles would have about the same purchasing power as someone in Las Cruces earning $47,000. So Albuquerque teachers would be slightly better off in purchasing power than those in LA.
Average Teacher Salary in the LA School District: $75.000
Average Teacher Salary in Albuquerque: about $53,000
Average Teacher Salary in Las Cruces: about $50,000
Average Teacher Salary in Anthony NM: About $49,000
Cost of Living Adjustment: Someone earning $75000 in Los Angeles would have about the same purchasing power as someone in Las Cruces earning $47,000. So Albuquerque teachers would be slightly better off in purchasing power than those in LA.
Performance:
California school performance is similar to New Mexico. California is tied with Alabama for 46th among states in 4rth grade math. New Mexico ranks 49th tied with Nevada for 42 in 8th grade math; tied with North Carolina for 37 in 8th grade reading; tied with Arizona for 43 in 4rth grade reading. However: Los Angeles School performance is lower than Albuquerque:
LA 4rth Grade Math Scores Vs. Albuquerque 4th Grade Math Scores:
Albuquerque 4th grade: 231 basic score (New Mexico=231)
Los Angeles 4th grade: 224 basic score (California-232)
Albuquerque 8th grade: 271 basic score (New Mexico =271)
Los Angeles 8th grade: 263 basic score (California=275)
Spending per pupil: California spends $11495 per pupil, ranking 22 in the Nation. New Mexico spends $9693, ranking 37. In real terms the two are probably about the same, probably a near wash when cost of living differences are factored in. NY State spends twice as much as California per pupil.
It appears teachers in California want more resources for teaching: more time with each student, professional health care, better library facilities, and more time for teachers to teach. Plus a salary increase. Given that the California school system student performance is almost as bad as NM, I would guess LA teachers argue they could raise student scores if they can concentrate more on doing their jobs in class without extraneous hassles of sick kids, inadequate tools, and more time.
Can you imagine teachers in Las Cruces actually going out on strike and arguing they cannot help pull NM out of 50th in education without better resources for their students?
It appears teachers in California want more resources for teaching: more time with each student, professional health care, better library facilities, and more time for teachers to teach. Plus a salary increase. Given that the California school system student performance is almost as bad as NM, I would guess LA teachers argue they could raise student scores if they can concentrate more on doing their jobs in class without extraneous hassles of sick kids, inadequate tools, and more time.
Can you imagine teachers in Las Cruces actually going out on strike and arguing they cannot help pull NM out of 50th in education without better resources for their students?
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