Blog

It is the time of year when we begin to interview potential teachers to fill roles for next school year. It’s difficult for teachers seeking to leave the public school sector because their salary expectations do not align with private school salaries. As many of you know, I just completed my doctoral degree. My dissertation was on Christian education and teacher training for integration of faith and learning (IFL). In researching the topic for a year and consulting hundreds of resources and journals, I learned some interesting facts, but one of the most important is WHY teachers in private Christian schools are willing to work for less monetary compensation than those in public schools. I wanted to share this information with you to help foster a deeper appreciation for the dedicated teaching faculty at our school and other Christian schools.

First, let’s get the obvious factors out of the way. I have worked in both public and private schools, so I know first-hand that private, Christian schools usually have smaller class sizes (National Center for Education Statistics, n.d.) and serve children of a higher income status: two factors that can affect job satisfaction among some teachers (Evans, 2019; Miner, 2025). While CCAC does boast smaller class sizes, we are proud to be a school serving an intentionally diverse population, including varied socioeconomic backgrounds. Therefore, this factor is not at play in our school.

Apart from smaller classes, there are other, more important factors at play contributing to the willingness of our teachers to work even harder than some public school teachers for less compensation (Cook, 2018; St. George, 2022). The following is a passage taken directly from my published dissertation (Miner, 2025) that I hope will give parents and the general public an appreciation for the hard-work and dedication evident among highly devoted Christian school educators:

One may understand the reason for this increased organizational commitment and professional output in the Christian tradition when reading Colossians 3:23-24. These verses describe the levels of commitment and devotion expected of Christian staff members. The passage states, “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve” (Colossians 3:23-24, New American Standard Bible). These verses introduce the concept of work as a calling. Hansen and Quek (2023) stated teacher motivation may be better understood when one views teaching as a calling rather than as a vocation. Hansen and Quek (2023) further delineated the differences between called teachers and vocational teachers, saying called teachers are in the profession for a higher purpose of helping students learn to live their lives in accordance with Christian ideals whereas teachers who see teaching as simply a vocation are more prone to following the lead of policymakers who may be far-removed from the classroom. Other studies described religious educators as having more difficult jobs if they consider themselves called into teaching. Kilag and Sasan (2023) suggested such teachers view themselves as more than professional teachers, but also as ones called by God to show evidence of their faith in him. Evans (2019) asked Christian school teachers why they teach in their particular schools instead of others and overwhelmingly received responses related to God’s calling on their lives and over their career choices. Other studies found teachers in private schools are more willing to work for less compensation, both in terms of lower salaries and fewer benefits (Cook, 2018; St. George, 2022). In Christian schools, this willingness to work for less financial compensation may be partly due to their view of their jobs as a calling . . .

These factors may also play a part, in conjunction with the concept of being called by God to teach, in making decisions to work in Christian schools, even for less compensation. Yet another study found school principals used the idea of calling to help them articulate why they became school leaders and to make sense of difficult duties (Swen, 2019). Demonstrating the ideal of working as if for the Lord and not for humans and creating this connection in the lives of students is one of the goals of those called by God into Christian education and, therefore, IFL.

Teachers in private Christian schools are not volunteers; they rightfully expect compensation for their hard work. Remember, Paul said, "In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel” (1 Corinthians 9:14). However, for those who proclaim the gospel, the rewards go beyond monetary earnings. Their fulfillment is in knowing they are serving the Lord rather than man. While they may never become wealthy in a material sense, Christian school teachers have the satisfaction of knowing they are exactly where God has called them to be, making a meaningful impact in His kingdom. Take a moment today to show your children’s teachers extra grace and appreciation, remembering they are not in the profession for the paycheck.  They are here because they love you, they love your child, and most importantly, they love the Lord.