| The West Virginia Education Association, a teacher's union, is pushing for higher salaries for teachers in order to compete with surrounding states and entice college students to enter the profession.
The WVEA says many school systems are unable to recruit and retain qualified teachers because of poor pay.
WV is ranked near the bottom in the USA, either 48th or 49th in teacher pay.
Rural schools like Calhoun with low enrollment struggle to hire teachers particularly in specialty subjects like science and math.
Ten years ago, West Virginia was ranked 38th.
The average salary is about $45,000, but entry level teachers make less.
WVEA President Dale Lee said many new teachers move out of state or remain residents of West Virginia and commute to surrounding states in order to receive more money.
In Ohio, teachers are paid about $57,000 on average, while teachers in Virginia are paid about $49,000 and teachers in Pennsylvania receive more than $60,000.
The national average is about $55,000.
| 
