ST. LOUIS — According to the National Education Association, Missouri ranks last in the nation for average teacher starting salary ($36,829) and 47th for average salary across all teachers ($53,999). In Illinois, the average starting salary paces just above the U.S. median at 24th place ($43,515) but 12th place for average salary ($73,916).
And with 94% of public school teachers spending their own money on classroom supplies, every dollar counts. Many educators have looked to crowdfunding sites like GoFundMe to help lessen the blow.
We are investigating Missouri and Illinois teachers' out-of-pocket spending on classroom supplies, which include basic materials like pencils and paper, books, technology, art supplies, classroom decorations, furniture and sometimes even food or clothing for students. Our goal is to understand the impact of these expenses on your teaching and well-being. Your responses will be a crucial part of an investigative report on the financial challenges faced by teachers in the St. Louis area.
All responses are anonymous unless you choose to share your contact information for a potential follow-up interview.
This survey should take about 15 minutes to complete.
To share your experience, click here or simply take the survey below. Thank you for participating!
Have a tip for the I-Team? Leave a voice message on 314-444-5231 or email Senior Investigative Reporter Paula Vasan directly at paula@ksdk.com.
