Fine. Here's some comparisons of Wisconsin to neighboring states:
Financial Data for Wisconsin
State Spending on Teachers
Salary expenditure on all teachers (including home schoolers, special education, non-certified teachers): $3,571,389,694
Benefits expenditures for teachers: $1,719,827,769
Instructional expenditures for teaching supplies: $196,466,650
Total current instructional expenditures per student (teacher salary and curriculum): $6,730
Total current expenditures per student: $11,418
Financial Data for Michigan
State Spending on Teachers
Salary expenditure on all teachers (including home schoolers, special education, non-certified teachers): $6,022,723,390
Benefits expenditures for teachers: $2,765,379,038
Instructional expenditures for teaching supplies: $289,372,186
Total current instructional expenditures per student (teacher salary and curriculum): $5,523
Total current expenditures per student: $9,533
Financial Data for Minnesota
State Spending on Teachers
Salary expenditure on all teachers (including home schoolers, special education, non-certified teachers): $3,766,312,685
Benefits expenditures for teachers: $1,159,938,299
Instructional expenditures for teaching supplies: $184,515,602
Total current instructional expenditures per student (teacher salary and curriculum): $6,124
Total current expenditures per student: $10,826
Financial Data for Iowa
State Spending on Teachers
Salary expenditure on all teachers (including home schoolers, special education, non-certified teachers): $1,952,930,339
Benefits expenditures for teachers: $592,046,164
Instructional expenditures for teaching supplies: $95,949,632
Total current instructional expenditures per student (teacher salary and curriculum): $5,742
Total current expenditures per student: $9,741
Financial Data for Illinois
State Spending on Teachers
Salary expenditure on all teachers (including home schoolers, special education, non-certified teachers): $8,780,141,260
Benefits expenditures for teachers: $2,799,518,548
Instructional expenditures for teaching supplies: $469,018,815
Total current instructional expenditures per student (teacher salary and curriculum): $5,490
Total current expenditures per student: $9,762
Financial Data for Indiana
State Spending on Teachers
Salary expenditure on all teachers (including home schoolers, special education, non-certified teachers): $3,681,735,767
Benefits expenditures for teachers: $998,932,254
Instructional expenditures for teaching supplies: $97,488,650
Total current instructional expenditures per student (teacher salary and curriculum): $5,171
Total current expenditures per student: $9,342
Average Salary Percent Change
Rank 2009 Rank 2008 Rank 2007 2008 to 2009 2007 to 2008 2007 to 2009
Wisconsin 24 $48,743.33 24 $47,365.00 18 $47,070.00 2.91% 0.63% 3.55%
Average Salary Percent Change
Rank 2009 Rank 2008 Rank 2007 2008 to 2009 2007 to 2008 2007 to 2009
Michigan 17 $52,300.00 12 $53,410.00 8 $54,683.33 -2.08% -2.33% -4.36%
Average Salary Percent Change
Rank 2009 Rank 2008 Rank 2007 2008 to 2009 2007 to 2008 2007 to 2009
Minnesota 21 $50,360.00 19 $49,725.00 17 $48,263.33 1.28% 3.03% 4.34%
Average Salary Percent Change
Rank 2009 Rank 2008 Rank 2007 2008 to 2009 2007 to 2008 2007 to 2009
Iowa 45 $41,970.00 49 $39,035.00 48 $37,763.33 7.52% 3.37% 11.14%
Average Salary Percent Change
Rank 2009 Rank 2008 Rank 2007 2008 to 2009 2007 to 2008 2007 to 2009
Illinois 9 $57,283.33 9 $56,505.00 11 $53,463.33 1.38% 5.69% 7.15%
Average Salary Percent Change
Rank 2009 Rank 2008 Rank 2007 2008 to 2009 2007 to 2008 2007 to 2009
Indiana 30 $46,640.00 25 $47,245.00 23 $46,600.00 -1.28% 1.38% 0.09%
Now let's take a look at what those of us who pay (or, in my case, paid) in taxes for all this are/were concerned about, starting with the benefits:
Teacher's benefits as a percentage of total teacher expenditures:
WI: 48%
MI: 46%
MN: 31%
IA: 30%
IL: 32%
IN: 27%
Remember the Rolls Royce benefit package I was talking about? There you go.
Now, let's look at how the money is spent:
Total current instructional expenditures per student (teacher salary and curriculum):
WI: $6,730
MI: $5,523
MN: $6,124
IA: $5,742
IL: $5,490
IN: $5,171
Total current expenditures per student:
WI: $11,418
MN: $9,533
IA: $9,741
IL: $9,762
IN: $9,342
This is all from a website that appears to be for teachers. If you want more detailed information, you'll have to pay me a generous salary and set me up with a DC office.