August 2003 - Reading, Writing and Raises "(South Carolina) had been working on the idea of a zero percent pay raise," said Williams. "Then there were the politicians whose platforms were education, and people had something to say about it. These (politicians) were the people who were elected because they promised more money for teachers." The AFT web site showed the average attorney's salary is $87,978, an engineer makes $76,298, and an accountant earns $54,503. Overall, the average teacher salary in the nation falls at $44,367. Money. Songs have been written about it, wars have been waged because of it and families have fought over it since the beginning of time. But, when it comes to a child's education, is there a price too high? Teachers not only educate our children, but they also instill values and set examples for a future generation. In Beaufort County, teachers' salaries are within the norm of what is expected from any county in the state. In fact, when it comes to money, the Beaufort County School District ranks among the highest counties in the state and has for the past four years, said John Williams, Beaufort County School District's executive director of communications. The average teacher in Beaufort County makes about $30,000 per year, based on education and experience, Williams said. Teachers are on what's called a salary schedule, meaning, the more experience and education they have, the more they make. "We run it like the military: for every year you're in, you get a pay raise and for every degree (from college), you get a bump in pay as well," Williams said. "However, it is much more formal than other jobs in that it's printed, published and there's no deviation. What that means is, just because a teacher comes highly recommended from someone, the principal can't offer extra money." Extra money is something all teachers need but aren't getting - not from the state, anyway. The South Carolina Legislature approved only a 0.66 percent raise for teachers this year, unlike years past when teachers have received a two- to three-percent raise, Williams said. When compared to other states, South Carolina ranks 26th in the nation with an average teacher salary of $39,923 in 2002, according to the American Federation of Teachers' Web site. California ranks first in pay with an average teacher salary of $54,348. School districts across the state are required to give the state-mandated raise in pay, but individual counties can use their discretion if they want to offer more. That's exactly what Beaufort County is doing. "(0.66 percent is) very low and (the district) realizes that 0.66 percent on a $30,000 salary doesn't pay enough to go to Wendy's once a week," Williams said. "The school board is trying to find a way to give the teachers, and all district employees, a two percent cost-of-living raise." It's the cost of living, he said, that's hard for teachers to cope with. "The first thing out of college, what you want to do is get out in an apartment," he said. "You need a car to get you to and from work and you're excited about your job. Then you walk onto Hilton Head Island where most apartments run about $1,000 per month. A LOOK AT HOW TEACHERS' SALARIES COMPARE WITH OTHER PROFESSIONS: o Full Professor: $89,631 o Attorney: $87,978 o Engineer: $76,298 o Programmer/Analyst: $74,534 o Accountant: $54,503 o Assistant Professor: $47,476 o Teacher: $44,367 * Data from American Federation of Teachers' Website, average 2002 salaries. Now you have a choice. You can give up the car, which is getting you to the job, or you can live three or four to an apartment." And living with roommates is what usually happens for freshout- of-college teachers, Williams said. With that in mind, it's easy to think teachers wouldn't want to come to Hilton Head to teach, and if they did, they wouldn't want to stick around very long. "I've noticed teachers leaving for lower cost of living in other areas," Williams said. "With as much as we have going for us in terms of environment and things we do as a school district, a lot of these teachers would stay if they could afford it more." But most can't, so they end up leaving, which leaves parents wondering if children are getting a good enough education in public schools. "I don't think (the fact some teachers are only here for two or three years) affects the education," Williams said. "The new teachers come in with the latest brain development studies, and so they may have new techniques that some of the teachers who have been around a while don't have." Other than money, the problem school districts are facing is a shortage of teachers. College students who may be interested in a teaching career look at the job market and often decide to stay in school for a year or two longer, hoping to land a job in a different field with better pay. "We're moving into an era when the baby boomers are retiring in record numbers, and a lot of young people are seeking careers that pay more," he said. Overall, Williams said what would help the most in Beaufort County and on Hilton Head Island is more affordable housing. "This community has to come to grips with compensating teachers commensurate with the services they provide," he said. "Everyone around the nation talks about how teachers lay the foundation of a child's future, but they remain on the bottom of the pay scales."