Invest in Education

Join the thousands supporting and fighting for our state’s public schools, students and educators.

DID YOU KNOW?

95%

of public schools are experiencing an educator shortage.

55%

of educators plan to leave the profession earlier than expected.

41 out of 50

Indiana ranks 41st for average teacher salary out of the 50 states and Washington D.C.

TAKE ACTION

Tell your legislators to prioritize solutions that address the core issues behind Indiana’s educator shortage.

TAKE ACTION

Take Action

SB 486 would strip teachers’ rights to discuss concerns over student learning with school administrators – an effort that will negatively impact students and worsen Indiana’s already historic teacher shortage.

Take Action

Statehouse Days of Action

Join ISTA for our Days of Action at the Statehouse. Learn more about current legislation that affects your work, your students and your retirement. The briefing will be followed by an opportunity to connect with legislators at the Statehouse or over lunch at ISTA.

Days of Action

Become an Advocate

By becoming an advocate, you stand with the more than 90 percent of Hoosier families that choose community public schools. Join us.

Share Your Story

You've got an educator shortage impact story. It’s time to show legislators the impacts of decisions made in the Statehouse and how they affect kids and educators. Raise your voice.

Share Your Story

Expanding Bargaining Rights

What’s best for kids is best for educators. Expanding collective bargaining to include working conditions will result in stronger educators and better learning conditions for students.

WATCH

INDIANA SCHOOL FUNDING EXPLAINED

Indiana’s students deserve fully and equitably funded schools. This video explains the history behind Indiana public school funding.

WATCH

ARE HOOSIER SCHOOLS MEETING MINIMUM TEACHER SALARY REQUIREMENTS?

ISTA began the Red For Ed movement in 2018, and with the advocacy of educators, parents, students and public school advocates, we achieved significant investments in public education and a commitment to reach professional teacher salaries. ISTA is now working to ensure the significant investments in K – 12 education get to where the funding was intended – into classrooms and to attract and retain quality educators.

This map is a tool to see trends where schools are able, or unable, to reach teacher salary goals. This map reflects data from ratified contracts from the 2020 – 21 through the 2022 – 23 contract years, where available. The data will be updated weekly.

Color Coding

Green indicates districts that have reached a $40,000 minimum starting salary. Yellow indicates districts where the minimum starting salary is less than $40,000.

"I am a teacher in Indiana. My daughter is a teacher in another state. She moved to another state because their starting pay is better, they compensate for graduate degrees, they have smaller classes, more in-service days and more reimbursement for supply purchases. Indiana’s insufficient funding of education is costing us the next generation of quality educators!”

Tamara Allison, Elementary Teacher

“I worked hard to earn a degree to become a teacher, and I shouldn’t have to depend on my husband’s income so I can teach.”

Angie Kirkham, Elementary Teacher

"More classroom resources = more one-on-one time with students."

Rhiannon Castetter, Elementary Teacher

“At the end of my teaching day, I watch professional educators clear the building to head to their second jobs.”

Scott Hottell, Middle School Teacher

"I teach in a rural middle school and high school, and our funding has been so drastically cut that we have lost several important courses such as art, art history, consumer science, marching band, German, French and several other electives. All this loss is due to lack of funding."

Sandra Schurr, Middle/High School Teacher

"I worked in retail management for 7 years and left the profession to fulfill my dream of being an educator. I made $18,000 more as the manager of a cosmetics store. The only reason I can afford to stay in this profession is because of my husband's salary."

Allison Haley, High School Teacher

"I am a parent who is actively involved in her child's education and a volunteer in his school. I believe that teachers are paid too little, especially considering the demands put on them."

Laurie Robinson, Parent

“We’re going to lose a lot of good teachers, because we’re not going to provide them time.”

Jessica Hurley, Sixth Grade Math Teacher, Warrick County Teachers Association

“We’re asking teachers to do things we haven’t done in the past.”

Anthony Dean, Elementary Special Education Teacher, Washington Twp. Education Association

“Teaching in-person and online at the same time is a really big burden. It really is very challenging, especially for those classes and teachers that maybe don’t use a lot of technology in their classroom already.”

Invest in Education

Join the thousands supporting and fighting for our state’s public schools, students and educators.

DID YOU KNOW?

TAKE ACTION

Take Action

Statehouse Days of Action

Become an Advocate

Share Your Story

Expanding Bargaining Rights

INDIANA SCHOOL FUNDING EXPLAINED

ARE HOOSIER SCHOOLS MEETING MINIMUM TEACHER SALARY REQUIREMENTS?

Color Coding

Tamara Allison, Elementary Teacher

“I worked hard to earn a degree to become a teacher, and I shouldn’t have to depend on my husband’s income so I can teach.”

Angie Kirkham, Elementary Teacher

"More classroom resources = more one-on-one time with students."

Rhiannon Castetter, Elementary Teacher

“At the end of my teaching day, I watch professional educators clear the building to head to their second jobs.”

Scott Hottell, Middle School Teacher

"I teach in a rural middle school and high school, and our funding has been so drastically cut that we have lost several important courses such as art, art history, consumer science, marching band, German, French and several other electives. All this loss is due to lack of funding."

Sandra Schurr, Middle/High School Teacher

"I worked in retail management for 7 years and left the profession to fulfill my dream of being an educator. I made $18,000 more as the manager of a cosmetics store. The only reason I can afford to stay in this profession is because of my husband's salary."

Allison Haley, High School Teacher

"I am a parent who is actively involved in her child's education and a volunteer in his school. I believe that teachers are paid too little, especially considering the demands put on them."

Laurie Robinson, Parent

“We’re going to lose a lot of good teachers, because we’re not going to provide them time.”

Jessica Hurley, Sixth Grade Math Teacher, Warrick County Teachers Association

“We’re asking teachers to do things we haven’t done in the past.”

Anthony Dean, Elementary Special Education Teacher, Washington Twp. Education Association

“Teaching in-person and online at the same time is a really big burden. It really is very challenging, especially for those classes and teachers that maybe don’t use a lot of technology in their classroom already.”

Jodi Kallenberg, Middle and High School Orchestra Teacher, Plymouth Education Association

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