My New Published Column

[Steff]

I was always under the impression that average income in the community/house prices were positively correlated teacher pay.

 

 

If that was the case then the Joliet $$ is waaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyy lopsided.

[Soxy]

If that was the case then the Joliet $$ is waaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyy lopsided.

Yeah, but look at all those new developments in Joliet--I mean they are annexing a lot of land and getting really nice housing built onto them. And some of the older parts aren't that bad. I know my grandparents farm (recently annexed into Joliet) is worth a whole hell of a lot.

 

Although, I'm not sure how that split works, since a lot of those kids in "Joliet" go to Plainfield and the surrounding schools.

[Steff]

And Naperville 203 should be way above $100K if it's based on income also I would think.

 

 

Most of the homes sold in that district are in the upper $500K to low $800K.

[AddisonStSox]

I was always under the impression that average income in the community/house prices were positively correlated teacher pay.

 

That's because you are correct.

 

Compare avg. salaries for those working at Steinmetz to those at New Trier, or even Whitney Young for that matter.

[Heads22]

I was always under the impression that average income in the community/house prices were positively correlated teacher pay.

Fun fact about my town!

 

The median income for a household in the city is $27,347, and the median income for a family is $32,279. Males have a median income of $28,075 versus $19,479 for females. The per capita income for the city is $17,502. 13.7% of the population and 11.7% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 19.4% of those under the age of 18 and 13.7% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

 

Means a lot of these kids are ERP or Free and Reduced Lunch. That notion of the lower socioeconomic status would tend to lend itself to lower test score, but in most cases on ITBS tests and ITEDs (God the standardized testing got old) the ERP students scored in line with the rest of the students (roughly 30-40% are Free and Reduced lunch, it's used as a benchmark in the SD). Or course, IED (individualized education for special needs) lagged behind, but the improvements over past years were impressive.

 

See, I hang around these people and I get redorkulated.

[Soxy]

And Naperville 203 should be way above $100K if it's based on income also I would think. 

Most of the homes sold in that district are in the upper $500K to low $800K.

I don't know, I mean, I think the website you posted is kind of decptive. Places like Oswego have pretty variable pay rates--but the most senior teachers (looked up my old ones) are making around 100,000. But the average rate is dragged waaaaaaaay down by the HUGE amount of new teachers because the area is growing and adding schools so rapidly. So, I don't know if averages are the best option because it doesn't tell the whole story.

 

And school administrators, I agree way overpaid. Give that money to the poor fools in the trenches.

[Steff]

Yeah, but look at all those new developments in Joliet--I mean they are annexing a lot of land and getting really nice housing built onto them. And some of the older parts aren't that bad. I know my grandparents farm (recently annexed into Joliet) is worth a whole hell of a lot.

 

Although, I'm not sure how that split works, since a lot of those kids in "Joliet" go to Plainfield and the surrounding schools.

 

 

We just bought another house in Joliet... the average is just about $270K right now (and that's on the high side). I know the property is being bought up for top dollar (good for your grandparents), but sooner (rather than later) they are going to run out of room because people are not going to want to be much closer to the prison then they currently are. Probably another reason the selling price is up there. They can't build any more new stuff any closer to 80 or 55 because those people wont sell (combo of being old, poor, and scared to make a change).

 

And you're right about the way the schools are split. A lot of Joliet kids go into Plainfield and a lot of the Shorewood kids go into Joliet. Since my sister is moving here I have been looking into the school stuff for her daughter and it's been a real eye opener.

[Heads22]

Just on an aside, this stuff is neat to talk about, and more people should care, because I think a lot of people underestimate just how big an impact schooling makes.

[AddisonStSox]

I was always under the impression that average income in the community/house prices were positively correlated teacher pay.

 

SCATTERPLOTS!!!!

 

...someone should flex their psych. muscles.

[Heads22]

And school administrators, I agree way overpaid. Give that money to the poor fools in the trenches.

 

Ditto.

[Steff]

I don't know, I mean, I think the website you posted is kind of decptive. Places like Oswego have pretty variable pay rates--but the most senior teachers (looked up my old ones) are making around 100,000. But the average rate is dragged waaaaaaaay down by the HUGE amount of new teachers because the area is growing and adding schools so rapidly. So, I don't know if averages are the best option because it doesn't tell the whole story.

 

And school administrators, I agree way overpaid. Give that money to the poor fools in the trenches.

 

 

Someone said "look up the averages"

 

The senior teachers at Plainfield HS are making in the $90 range although this list does not reflect that $$.

 

They are definitely overpaid... to the tune of $400K...

[Steff]

Just on an aside, this stuff is neat to talk about, and more people should care, because I think a lot of people underestimate just how big an impact schooling makes.

 

 

I didn't think about it until my sister decided to move here. I always said "eh.. I'll worry about it when I have kids". Like I said earlier, it's been a real eye opener learning about this stuff.

[EvilMonkey]

And you're right about the way the schools are split. A lot of Joliet kids go into Plainfield and a lot of the Shorewood kids go into Joliet.

I just moved into that area, and while my boys go to the Plainfield middle schools, they will be going to Joliet West HS. I am Plainfield in address, but Joliet in city services. Plainfield doesn't have enough high schools to handle all the development yet. It is all messed up.

[Soxy]

I know the property is being bought up for top dollar (good for your grandparents),

We've not sold it yet, but it's one of the VERY few farms (albeit only 5 acres) that hasn't been sold. Partly because my uncles won't get their s*** out of there, but whatever. That's probably helping the value increase further.

 

Do you know how the property taxes work on that? Like, if you live in Joliet but your kids go to Plainfield--who gets the money?

[Steff]

We've not sold it yet, but it's one of the VERY few farms (albeit only 5 acres) that hasn't been sold. Partly because my uncles won't get their s*** out of there, but whatever.  That's probably helping the value increase further.

 

Do you know how the property taxes work on that? Like, if you live in Joliet but your kids go to Plainfield--who gets the money?

 

 

 

Not 100% sure on this because we have yet to attend a village meeting and hear it from the horses mouth, but what I've been told is that the money is paid to the village you live in, then by address they sort out out who's going where and a "bill" is sent. So the village of Joliet gets a bill from Plainfield and they sort out the funds that way.

 

As for your grandparents property, it can only keep going up. As long as the taxes are managable, I'd hold on to it.

[southsider2k5]

I don't know, I mean, I think the website you posted is kind of decptive. Places like Oswego have pretty variable pay rates--but the most senior teachers (looked up my old ones) are making around 100,000. But the average rate is dragged waaaaaaaay down by the HUGE amount of new teachers because the area is growing and adding schools so rapidly. So, I don't know if averages are the best option because it doesn't tell the whole story.

 

And school administrators, I agree way overpaid. Give that money to the poor fools in the trenches.

 

Especially when you get administrators like in Michigan City, who say things like they wouldn't send their own kids to our school system (they go to a rich all white school system 50 miles away), and have a hiring manager who gets suspended for 10 days because she can't handle the task of hiring an athletic director... Our school administration is worthless, and whatever they make it is too much.