31 Various 2005 <p>For the first time since the 1999-2000 school year, the average teacher salary failed to keep up with inflation, according to the American Federation of Teachers' latest salary survey. Compensation for teachers also increased at a far slower rate than salaries for other professionals, and many states are attempting to reduce or eliminate pension and healthcare benefits. AFT notes that &quot;the decline in teacher compensation comes at a time when growing numbers of teachers are enhancing their credentials by participating in professional development, earning advanced degrees, and achieving national board certification.&nbsp; They also are facing increased professional demands, in terms of licensure and content-knowledge requirements, under federal law.&quot; This link leads to the full report, which includes tables of state-by-state data, comparisons with other professions, and a detailed analysis of beginning teacher salaries. (500k PDF file) </p> <p>American Federation of Teachers (2005). 2005 survey and analysis of teacher salary trends. Retrieved from AFT 28 Apr 2008. Link: http://www.aft.org/salary/</p> http://www.aft.org/salary/