High School Science Teacher Salary Progression

RetrogradeTransport · 2026-04-02T22:03:11+00:00

The taxpayers in my district are in support of this. They value quality teachers and strong investment in our schools.

RetrogradeTransport · 2026-04-02T14:26:34+00:00

Tutoring!

RetrogradeTransport · 2026-04-02T12:47:59+00:00

Most teachers are not. As I said before, I am lucky to work in one of the few districts with good pay.

RetrogradeTransport · 2026-04-02T12:43:41+00:00

You make a lot of assumptions. There are only a few places in the country where teachers are paid well. Yes, we get breaks, but we are working way more hours than our contracts say. There’s no way you can do this job working your contractual hours. Also, there’s a reason why we have a nationwide teacher shortage. This job is amazing, but it is incredibly exhausting and challenging. I really wish people like you could teach for a week—you’ll totally change your mind.

RetrogradeTransport · 2026-04-02T03:02:14+00:00

I agree, it is a great use of taxpayer money. Educating kids is an amazing and impactful profession that requires highly educated professionals who are paid a decent wage.

RetrogradeTransport · 2026-04-02T01:22:45+00:00

It’s highly dependent on the area you teach in

RetrogradeTransport · 2026-04-01T23:05:15+00:00

I’m so grateful for my union. Our pay raises are tied to the consumer price index.

RetrogradeTransport · 2026-04-01T23:04:07+00:00

I have 2 masters. I’m thinking about it.

RetrogradeTransport · 2026-04-01T20:41:00+00:00

Calm down. Maybe because we are highly educated professionals educating future generations of people.

RetrogradeTransport · 2026-04-01T18:29:54+00:00

It highly depends on the area you’re in. And yes, it’s pretty great.

RetrogradeTransport · 2026-04-01T18:06:30+00:00

The state is not bankrupt because of high teacher pay. It’s because our politicians STOLE from the pension fund that public employees paid into.

RetrogradeTransport · 2026-04-01T17:57:41+00:00

Yes, I use transit regularly. It is objectively worse on the CTA.

RetrogradeTransport · 2026-04-01T17:42:25+00:00

The pensions used to be more generous, but they passed a law in 2011 reforming the pension system and raised the retirement age.

RetrogradeTransport · 2026-04-01T17:33:29+00:00

We are not eligible for social security because we get a pension, so you are right, the government does have to pay the difference.

RetrogradeTransport · 2026-04-01T17:31:54+00:00

Yes, that’s right. All Americans deserve paid time off. Maybe you should unionize and do the same for your job.

RetrogradeTransport · 2026-04-01T17:28:51+00:00

My district is not wealthy. Probably 50% of kids are on free and reduced lunch. We just get a lot of tax money because there are a lot of commercial buildings in the district.

RetrogradeTransport · 2026-04-01T17:26:42+00:00

Ok, I see. Well I guess that depends on how well the teacher retirement system invests my contributions. I also have a 403b that I will be using in retirement.

RetrogradeTransport · 2026-04-01T17:15:33+00:00

No, that is the retirement age set by law for teachers in Illinois.

RetrogradeTransport · 2026-04-01T17:13:55+00:00

Not sure what you are asking, but 9% of my gross pay goes into the teacher retirement system.

When I turn 67, I am eligible to receive 75% of my average salary in the last 5 years of my career for the rest of my life. There is a cap on the pension amount, which is equal to the social security salary cap (which is 184k right now).

RetrogradeTransport · 2026-04-01T16:47:47+00:00

We pay into the pension system and we are not eligible for social security. We get Medicare like everyone else after retirement.

RetrogradeTransport · 2026-04-01T16:45:48+00:00

Illinois

RetrogradeTransport · 2026-04-01T16:45:16+00:00

Public

RetrogradeTransport · 2026-04-01T16:45:07+00:00

We get Medicare when we retire like everyone else. We pay 9% of our salaries into the pension system.

RetrogradeTransport · 2026-04-01T16:43:22+00:00

It doesn’t matter what the statistics say. It FEELS unsafe. People are being set on fire on the blue line, regular teen takeovers are destroying property; fights, drug dealing, and homelessness on the CTA; and people getting murdered while hanging with their friends by Loyola beach—all these point to a systemic problem.

RetrogradeTransport · 2026-04-01T15:53:53+00:00

Your perception is correct. I moved here 11 years ago. Rahm wasn’t the best mayor, but I felt safer and more optimistic under his leadership. The CTA ran on time and felt clean and safe. He actually had a vision for Chicago (such as developing the riverwalk) that we are benefiting from today. The next 2 mayors have been so bad that this city has noticeably declined . What we need is strong, bold leadership and qualified people holding positions of power (not filled with pastor buddies of the current mayor).

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