Miami is taking the trend of teacher housing one step further than other places. But do teachers want to live where they work – even if it means cheaper rent?
By Natalie DelGadillo | Governing
Teacher strikes have lit up red states over the last month as educators reach their breaking point with stagnant wages and inadequate education funding.
But teachers struggle to make ends meet all over the country.
On average, teachers are paid 60 percent less than similarly educated professionals, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. In some of the most expensive cities, they struggle to put a roof over their heads.
In a 2017 Apartment List analysis, San Francisco was the worst offender: Fifth-year teachers in the city have to spend nearly 70 percent of their income — almost three times the recommended amount — to rent a one-bedroom apartment. Miami, New York and Seattle all closely follow San Francisco on the list.
In Miami, where the average teacher spends 50 percent of their income on rent, local officials are proposing a novel solution: Let teachers live at school.
