Teacher's pay fail to make the grade

Stacey Cameron, NEWS 9

It's a better pay day than years past, but teacher's salaries still fail to make the grade when you compare Oklahoma to nearby states.

State Superintendent of Schools Sandy Garrett is already asking lawmakers for enough money to raise teacher salaries by $2,000. It's expected that the governor will echo that request tomorrow.

The average Oklahoma teacher earns nearly $39,000 a year.

The average salary for a teacher is below the national average in teacher pay. According to the National Educational Association, Oklahoma teachers rank 48th in pay.

The average salary for a teacher nationally is about 48,000.