private schools can often get away with paying less, though I think the reasons are more complex than simply that government salaries are higher because they are government, not free market. To attract new teachers, all schools, public and private, compete in the same labor market. If some teachers opt for private schools despite lower pay, it is probably because of the greater prestige (on average) of teaching at a private school, some affinity for the school or its mission (e.g. at religious or special needs schools), and/or the belief that the students will be generally more motivated and better behaved, and parents more supportive.
There's another significant reason that a teacher would opt for private school: accreditation isn't required. I've known teachers who have taught in private until they took the courses they needed to teach in public schools.
Also, private school teachers might be more content, despite the lower pay and benefits, because there is a lot less paperwork involved in the job. They can focus on teaching, and not filling out weekly lesson plans, etc.
My kids have gone to both private and public schools, the latter in Fairfax County, which is one of the most highly regarded in the country. Every teacher they've had in private school was excellent; they've had several mediocre and poor teachers in the public school system. In fact, one year my 9 year old daughter came home in tears when she found out who her teacher was going to be. To the school's credit, that teacher was fired after that school year. |
