Do Teachers Get Paid During the Holidays?

Teaching is undoubtedly a challenging but rewarding job. One of the well-known perks of teaching is the additional time off teachers get throughout the year. This begs the question, do teachers get paid during the holidays?

Teachers get paid for ten months of work every academic year. They are paid during the Winter and Spring holidays and other national holidays but are not compensated for the Summer holidays. However, they can choose to receive paychecks even during the summer break if they spread their ten-month pay over the 12-month period.

In this article, I will explain how teachers are paid year-round, covering different holidays, and how they can choose to spread their pay over the course of the year. Additionally, I’ll provide some options for extra earnings during summer break and other opportunities for teachers.

Table of Contents

Are Teachers Paid Year-Round?

The typical school teacher in the United States works around 180 school days from August to June. They are guaranteed pay for these ten months of work.

During this time between August and June, schools will close for designated holidays determined by each state. The holidays that fall between the ten-month school year are paid holidays.

This means teachers get paid during the Winter and Spring break, for instance. Other paid school holidays include Thanksgiving break, Memorial Day, Labour Day, and Martin Luther King Jr. Day, to name a few.

But what about the summer holidays?

Technically, school teachers can get paid all year round if they choose. The yearly amount that teachers receive is the salary for ten months of work. However, they have the option to get paid all year round by stretching their annual salary out across the entire 12-month period and receiving a smaller check each month.

If they choose not to spread their pay and receive payment all year round, teachers will only get checks during the ten months of work from August to June. The amount on these ten checks will be greater, but the amount received over the summer two months will be zero.

It should be stressed that being paid for the holidays and being paid during the holidays are two different things. The first would mean that the annual salary would be higher, and the second means that the same yearly salary is distributed differently.

So, for instance, if the annual salary of a school teacher is $60,000 a year. This is the teacher’s salary for ten months of work, so ordinarily, they would receive $60,000/10 = $6,000 every month for ten months and nothing during the summer break.

However, the teacher can opt to receive checks 12 times a year, even during the summer holidays. In this case, they would be paid $60,000 annually over 12 months, so $60,000/12 = $5000 every month. In both cases, the teacher would receive the same amount of money by the end of the year.

Therefore, teachers in the United States are paid for holidays such as Winter and Spring break, but they have the option to be paid during the summer break.

Do Teachers Get Paid for Overtime?

Generally speaking, teachers do not get paid if they spend more time working after regular hours are over. If a teacher dedicates extra time to help a struggling student, tidy up their classroom, or prepare lesson resources, they will not be paid.

Administrators would argue that these tasks, among many others, are part of a teacher’s job description agreed upon when accepting the opportunity to work at the school. Therefore, these responsibilities should be met, even if the teacher needs to work longer than the contracted hours – which is so often the case.

However, if a teacher decides to teach summer school or to chaperone for summer camp, they will get paid for the hours spent during these extra activities.

Time Off for Teachers

Time off during school holidays is one of the top perks for a school teacher. This time can be used to pursue other interests, travel, spend time with family, or to completely relax and recuperate from the stress of the job.

On the other hand, many teachers may work a second job for extra income during the summer break. Especially if you opt to receive ten checks instead of 12 in a year, an additional source of income during the summer may be necessary.

How Much Time Off Do Teachers Get?

As mentioned, teachers work around 180 school days, which is an average of 36 weeks of schooling over a ten-month period.

This means that teachers will get around 120 days off between August and June, including weekends and holidays. But during the summer break, teachers get between 6 and 8 weeks off without disruption.

If you ask any teacher, however, they will tell you that not all this time is ‘free time’ for them to spend as they choose. A good number of days are often spent planning and preparing for lessons. Additionally, teachers are expected to take courses and training for professional development during the summer.

How Can a Teacher Earn More During Summer Break?

Teachers have many options for summer jobs to earn extra money. The skills required for a school teacher are advantageous and applicable to different positions, so it can be relatively easy to find a job for the summer.

Teachers can do private tutoring for students who want to improve on particular subjects. For example, they can give online English lessons to non-native speakers.

Other common opportunities taken up by teachers include signing up for summer school or working at a summer camp. These roles are ideal for teachers with abundant experience and expertise working with children and teenagers.

Of course, they can also choose jobs that have nothing to do with teaching if they feel like taking a break from dealing with students. They might decide to start a business selling hand-made products or opt to become a social media influencer.

There are many options, depending on the availability and skills of the teacher. Check out this video from Danie Jay, who goes over five top side hustles for teachers:

Conclusion

Teachers are only paid an annual salary for ten months of work, and for the holidays that fall into these ten months (like Winter and Spring break), teachers receive a paycheck regardless.

They can choose to receive their annual pay in ten or 12 checks throughout the year. If they choose the latter, they will technically get paid all year round, although the yearly salary will remain the same.

If teachers receive ten checks yearly, they might struggle without paychecks during the summer, but they can choose to take on a second source of income.

Sources

Chron: How Do Teachers Get Paid in Year-Round Schools?

YouTube: What Do 6-Figure Teachers Do?! Top Side Hustles for Teachers | Alternative Careers for Teachers