Tom, I'd bet you're not "too far off the mark" either, unfortunately. What ever happened to the 3R's? It seems that public elementary school, especially, has run in too many different directions forgetting what is most important -- the basics...
Tom, Fwiw - teachers in say Jersey City or Newark make a whole lot more money than teachers in the middle or upper middle class districts. In districts like Jersey City or Newark, we could consider the salary differences "combat pay". No one would teach there without significant financial incentive. Teachers in those districts and other tough urban districts earn every penny of their pay...