AVERAGE salary survey shows Oklahoma teachers next to last

<br>OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Several teacher unions' surveys of average teacher salaries ranked Oklahoma near the bottom among the 50 states and Washington D.C. <br><br>The American Federation of Teachers

Thursday, May 17th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Several teacher unions' surveys of average teacher salaries ranked Oklahoma near the bottom among the 50 states and Washington D.C.

The American Federation of Teachers said Wednesday that the average teacher salary in the 1999-2000 school year was $41,820, up 3.2 percent from the previous year but under the 3.4 percent inflation rate.

The federation said the rise in salary was among the smallest in 40 years.

The surveys used data from state departments of education. Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Michigan and Pennsylvania paid teachers the most, between $48,300 and $52,400 on average.

Montana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, North Dakota and South Dakota were at the bottom of both lists, paying teachers, on average, about $30,000.

The National Education Association said Oklahoma's average teacher salary of $31,298 came in above North Dakota and South Dakota.

Oklahoma paid $29,525 during the 1999-2000 school year, up from $29,444 in the 1998-99 school year, the statistics showed.

That was one step above South Dakota, which paid the lowest average teacher salary, $29,072.