RI Ranks Toward Bottom of "Best States for Teachers"
GoLocalProv News Team
RI Ranks Toward Bottom of "Best States for Teachers"
According to a recent study completed by WalletHub, RI ranks as the 34th best state for teachers in the U.S, when it comes to such factors as opportunity, competition, and work environment.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST“Teaching can be a profoundly rewarding career, considering the critical role educators play in shaping young minds. But many teachers find themselves overworked and underpaid. Education jobs are among the lowest-paying occupations requiring a bachelor’s degree, and teacher salaries consistently fail to keep up with inflation. Meanwhile, the Every Student Succeeds Act demands growth in student performance,” writes WalletHub.
RI Rankings
- 41st Best - Opportunity & Competition
- 12th Best - Academic & Work Environment
The Rankings
Rl ranks directly behind Mississippi and Florida, who rank 32nd and 33rd respectively.
Rhode Island ranks ahead of Arkansas and Michigan, who ranks 35th and 36th respectively.
According to WalletHub, the worst state for teachers is Arizona, while the best state for teachers is North Dakota.
See the Full Rankings in the Map Below
The Method
In order to determine the teacher-friendliest states in the U.S., WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across two key dimensions, “Opportunity & Competition” and “Academic & Work Environment.”
They evaluated the two dimensions using 23 relevant metrics.
Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the most favorable conditions for living and working as a teacher.
Finally, WalletHub determined each state and the District’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and ranking.
Opportunity & Competition - Total Points: 70
- Average Starting Salary for Teachers: Double Weight (~10.77 Points)
- Average Salary for Teachers: Full Weight (~5.38 Points).
- Teachers’ Income Growth Potential: Full Weight (~5.38 Points)
- 10-Year Change in Teacher Salaries: Full Weight (~5.38 Points)
- Average Teacher Pension: Full Weight (~5.38 Points)
- Share of New Teachers with Inadequate Pensions: Full Weight (~5.38 Points)
- Projected Teacher Competition in Year 2026: Full Weight (~5.38 Points)
- Public-School Enrollment Growth: Full Weight (~5.38 Points)
- Length of Time Before Tenure Kicks in: Double Weight (~10.77 Points)
- Teacher Tenure Protections: Full Weight (~5.38 Points)
- Share of Uncertified Teachers: Full Weight (~5.38 Points)
Academic & Work Environment - Total Points: 30
- Quality of School System: Triple Weight (~7.20 Points)
- Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Full Weight (~2.40 Points)
- Public-School Spending per Student: Full Weight (~2.40 Points)
- Presence of Annual Teacher-Evaluation Requirement: Full Weight (~2.40 Points)
- Presence of Teacher-Effectiveness Requirement: Full Weight (~2.40 Points)
- Projected Share of Teacher Turnover: Full Weight (~2.40 Points)
- Teacher Union Strength: Full Weight (~2.40 Points)
- Teacher Safety: Full Weight (~2.40 Points)
- Share of Teachers Who Feel Supported by Their Administrator: Full Weight (~2.40 Points)
- Average Commute Time: Half Weight (~1.20 Points)
- Prevalence of Childhood Disadvantage: Half Weight (~1.20 Points)
- Working Mom-Friendliness: Half Weight (~1.20 Points)