Arizona teacher on compensation: ‘All teachers are underpaid’ and 'need to unite across the entire state'

David Constance, a science teacher at Marcos de Niza High School, has expressed concerns over the state of teacher compensation in Arizona. He highlighted that benefits have deteriorated over the past two decades and urged educators in the state to unify for greater impact.

"All teachers are underpaid," said Constance, Teacher Science. "Our benefits packages are expensive and are not as great as they were 20 years ago. Teachers need to unite across the entire state to have one voice if they truly want to be heard."

In Arizona, teacher unions such as the Arizona Education Association advocate for public school employees. However, as a "right-to-work" state, Arizona does not require union membership for employment, which limits the influence of unions compared to states with mandatory collective bargaining. According to the Arizona Education Association, organizing efforts have raised awareness about teacher shortages and resource disparities across the state.

Some teachers choose not to join unions due to concerns about how dues are used and a preference for alternative representation. Organizations like MyPayMySay encourage opting out, arguing that union dues can sometimes fund political activities that do not align with all members' views. Opting out can also lead to financial savings for some educators.

Arizona continues to grapple with challenges related to teacher compensation, ranking among the bottom 10 states nationally for average teacher pay. According to Axios Phoenix, the average public school teacher salary in Arizona is approximately $56,775, significantly lower than the national average. Ongoing issues with retention and recruitment have been linked to low pay across school districts.

Constance began his career teaching biology at Marcos de Niza High School over 30 years ago and later served as an assistant principal and principal in the Chandler Unified School District. After retiring from administration, he returned to teach Biology and Environmental Science at his original school. Constance is LINK Crew certified and is committed to helping students exceed their own expectations.