San Rafael Teachers Lag Behind State Average in Salaries

Debating if public school teachers are over- or under-paid is a hot topic whenever cuts to education funding loom or student test scores are released.

A new online comparison tool lets the public compare average teacher salaries by school district, revealing that San Rafael teacher salaries lag behind the average teacher pay in California. The San Rafael Elementary School District's average salary for teachers is $62,608, nearly $6,000 below the state average.

Statewide, the average teacher salary declined slightly during the 2011-12 academic year to $68,531, the Bakersfield Californian reported.

Overall, Marin County educators are on-par with the state average.

But the California Teachers Association doesn't put much stock in the comparison tool. Teacher salary scales are configured with formulas that take into account years of experience and education level, but many young and early-career teachers have been laid off due to budget cuts in recent years.

California public school teachers make 16.1 percent less than other college graduates, according to the California Teachers Association. The disparity increases for those with master's degrees.

How much do you think San Rafael teachers should be paid? Tell us in the comment section below.