Teachers: Who they are, where they work, how much they earn

Abstract

Teachers are one of the most relevant inputs of the educational system. Teacher's profile, wage, working conditions and teaching methods contribute to student performance. This paper analyzes the most current data available on Brazilian teachers: who they are, where they work, how much they earn, their impact on students. This information is essential to understand the reality, the trends and possibilities of intervention. The paper is divided in three parts. The first characterizes the number of teachers by level of education and presents data regarding their profile. The second part presents data regarding the wage profile and recent salary trends. The third part discusses the actual and potential impact of teachers. The paper concludes with reflections on possible ways to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of public education, but possibly also of the private sector.