CPL.Luke said:
there sttes way out in the midwest where 14 acres still costs verly little, and the state steps in and gives you the money to build a house, otherwise they could never get anybody to move out there to teach physics.
I would still like to know EXACTLY which states -- so you haven't clearly answered my question. A link to the states' departments of education, or particular policies stating this would be informative -- or newspaper article from some reputable paper.
I WAS in the midwest (OH). I've given numbers on my information ($24k as a BS +30 level, less than ten years ago -- 8 to be precise, and I was paid $24k throughout my PhD program which I started two years later, seeing that I'd be paid as much to go to grad school as to teach and my father passed away that year, so I needed an emotional break). I'll give you some particular programs or links that I do know of showing that incentives are available to become a teacher. Because yes, I'll say you can get incentives... but they aren't like that. In my experience, and I've been trying to look up different articles on Google, state education pages, college education pages, and I haven't seen free houses... and one of my research areas is "physics education with an emphasis on producing more qualified high school teachers" for my university. So it would be useful. I'd love to know if you could get that...
In order to be useful, I will say that now an individual seeking a teaching license will frequently have large incentives to become certified --
1) tuition waivers --
a) through the university -- I received a university fellowship to get my M.Ed. which was through Wright State University of Ohio, and I've seen similar ones, eg. Cornell, just by googling.
b) PROBABLY through state programs --although I haven't googled any and I'll admit that.
c) Definitely through national fellowship programs -- like the Knowles program.
2) loan forgiveness -- eg. Americorps teaching.
3) teacher pay is increasing (but still low) -- and increasing on need-based and skill based means (the $500 million Teacher Incentive Fund for example, and through local school districts implementing incentives on limited and controlled pay scales, eg. Denver Public).
But a house, land etc... I'd love to see it -- teacher pay is almost always out of taxes and linked to a pay scale based on education level and years of experience and has no link to field. I was offered less pay at a rural school ($19k). Only private schools (although I was offered only $18k because well--- the kids there are so much better that they make up for it) and charter schools might be able to change that -- because even the need-and-skill based incentives are pretty regulated (see for example the previously referenced program at Denver public schools that started a few years back).
Note -- I really just don't want to misinform students that might be interested in teaching. It's a great career, it pays OK although not as high as industry, the people/students are usually great -- and the classroom always interesting and unpredictable. If I wasn't having such a great opportunity to train and recruit more high school physics teachers, I'd probably go back to the high school classroom myself. And yes -- as a physics teacher, one would be employable... not problem. One would get lots of offers, but probably not free land and houses or a vacation home in Cancun.
Edited for minor typos.
