Why is there a shortage of teachers in the United States? A strange salary system

Schools in different states of the United States have opened one after another, but many places have encountered teacher shortages, especially the vacancies for math and science teachers are even more tight. Huang Miaoyuan, a senior American media person, said that this starts with a peculiar way of salary growth. American teachers have completed the arduous task of leading students through the public health and education crises, but their average salary has dropped to the lowest level in at least 10 years. According to a report by the National Education Association, in the 2020-21 school year, the average starting salary for American teachers was $41,770, a 4% decrease from the previous year after adjusting for inflation. Teachers in New Jersey have the highest salary, about $54,000, while Missouri and Montana have the lowest salary, only about $33,000. Low wages are the core problem of the long-term shortage of teachers in the United States, which was fully exposed during the epidemic and caused great dissatisfaction among educators. Some states used economic stimulus funds to give bonuses to teachers, but short-term aid made it difficult for schools to implement lasting wage increases.