It’s that time of year again. Young students across America will be throwing their caps in the air as they graduate from college and embark on their professional careers. Unfortunately, those who spent their four (or more) years of college as education majors are likely to make less than most of their 2001 classmates.

According to an April 2001 report released by the Census Bureau, an education degree yields the lowest average monthly income compared to all other degrees. And recent figures released by the American Federation of Teachers revealed that the average national teacher salary increase, 3.2 percent, fell short of the inflation rate last year.

With negative factors such as violence, budget cuts and decreased parent involvement affecting our nation’s schools, there just might not be enough incentive for people to dedicate their lives to the teaching profession. AFT president Sandra Feldman asserts that, “The teacher shortage plaguing school districts nationwide will not abate unless salaries improve. Better wages aren’t the only way to retain and recruit teachers, but they sure make a difference.”

What do you think? Are teachers being paid too little? What are the biggest challenges facing teachers today? Is teaching a respected profession, or is it not valued enough in our culture? How can we put an end to the teacher shortage in America?