The record number of individuals leaving the
teaching profession is welldocumented. This coupled with the lack of
individuals entering the profession has contributed to the creation of a teacher shortage crisis in the
United States. Urban, rural, mathematics, science and special education areas
have been particularly impacted. Research indicates that issues related to
stress, political issues, lack of administrative support and limited resources
are implicated factors. In addition to inherent job related stressors, limited
pay for teachers extends the stress factors from work to the home by impacting
the teachers’ quality of life. This article will examine the impact of teacher pay on
teacher poverty. Factors such as beginning teacher pay, average teacher pay and
housing costs will be examined.
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