Rebecca Vieira, a P.E. teacher at Bloom Elementary School in Tucson, wakes up early to get her three boys ready for the day before heading to school. Her day as a teacher lasts until at least 3 p.m., and then she heads to her second job as a manager at The Gaslight Theatre, where she works about 30 hours a week.
Low Pay Forces Teachers to Seek Supplemental Income
Vieira is one of many educators in Arizona who need second jobs to support their families. According to the Pew Research Center, about one in six teachers nationwide have second jobs. In Arizona, the situation is more dire, with teachers leaving their schools at double the national average rate of 7% due to low pay.
State Rep. Nancy Gutierrez, a former Tucson High teacher, says that Arizona’s failure to raise teacher pay has led to a shortage of qualified educators. "I think it’s sad and unacceptable that teachers need to have second or third jobs just to make ends meet," she said. "Arizona has continually chosen to not raise teacher pay, and that, along with a general lack of respect for the teaching profession, has caused this shortage."
The average pay for elementary school teachers in Pima County’s public and charter schools was $48,733 in 2025, according to the Center for the Future of Arizona. This is lower than the national average of $62,000-$64,000. Maricopa County led the way with an average salary of $57,281, while the state average was $56,000, ranking Arizona 48th nationally.
Solutions to the Teacher Pay Crisis
One possible solution is to renew Proposition 123, which used the sale of state land to give more than $300 million a year to public schools. However, the Republican-led Legislature did not agree to renew the proposition during this year’s session.
Marisol Garcia, president of the Arizona Teacher’s Association, says that the current system is unsustainable and that a starting salary of $80,000 could help retain teachers. "People ask, what would it take?" she said. "A starting salary of $80,000? Let’s try it."
Original reporting: Arizona Luminaria — read the source article.
