Title: The 9 states where teachers have it worst - CBS News
Headings: The 9 states where teachers have it worst
The 9 states where teachers have it worst
Arizona
Michigan
North Carolina
Colorado
Indiana

Content: Some Oklahoma teachers said it isn't enough, citing a lack of supplies for students and poor school conditions. State funding in Oklahoma for K-12 schools has declined 15.6 percent since 2008 on a per-student basis, according to the left-leaning Center for Budget and Policy Priorities . It's just one of 29 states that have cut state funding during that time, according to its analysis. To be sure, teachers may not earn as much as other professionals, but they receive pensions, a retirement benefit that's increasingly rare for Americans. A study of California public school teachers by the left-leaning think tank Economic Policy Institute found that the majority "earn a healthy return on contributions and a level of retirement security few participants in account-style plans can count on." Some lawmakers are taking aim at those pensions, such as in Kentucky, where teachers on Monday protested a bill that would end the state's existing pension plan for future teachers. The state's pension system has an unfunded liability of $40 billion, according to the Lexington Herald-Leader . The pay discrepancy from state to state can be stark. New York teachers earn an average annual salary of more than $79,600, according to the Department of Education. The lowest average teacher salary can be found in South Dakota, where teachers earn about $42,700 per year.