Novato Teachers Lag Behind County and State in Average Salaries

Debating if public school teachers are overpaid or underpaid 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 Novato teacher salaries lag behind the average teacher pay in California. Teachers in the Novato Unified School District were paid $62,904 on average.

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

In April 2012, the Novato teachers and school district officials reached a new agreement that included a 2 percent teacher pay raise.

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.

Are Novato teachers overpaid, underpaid or paid fairly? Tell us in the comment section below.

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