I think there is a good chance she reconsiders her decision to leave teaching after the upcoming year. Much of the pay gap she describes between teaching and nursing is closed if you look at the hourly rate, not the annual pay. With 3 months off in the summers and generous vacations during the school year that nurses don’t get, the monetary difference is small. She should include her retirement, medical, and other benefits into her total compensation too. Further, why is she getting only $38,000 per year, less than in previous years, and this with her advanced certifications. This is less than average starting salaries for teachers nationwide (according to the article). I wish the reporter had delved into why this county (which includes Cape Canaveral, is an hour’s drive from Orlando, and is pretty average demographically for Florida) pays so little.
Moving to nursing can involve weird hours, coping with imperious doctors and stifling bureaucracy and be a lot less fulfilling than giving kids an “aha” moment. She seems good at teaching and inspiring students, and that is the most important part of teaching, so I’ll bet she sticks with it.
