The latest report from the State Education Department cited 138 Long Island schools for failure to meet academic standards in English, writing or math, more than double the number of schools listed last year. This is particularly disturbing since Long Island teachers are among the highest paid in the nation with salaries nearly twice the national average.

In Valley Stream's Willow Run School, fourth grade math scores fell below county and state averages with 50 percent of students failing. In fourth grade English, a horrific 64 percent of the children failed the state test. The Morton Civic Association called this shocking and abominable.

Fourth grade English scores were also low in West Hempstead's Cornwell Avenue School where 34 percent of students fell below state standards.

In Franklin Square, 48 percent of students in the Washington Street School failed to pass the fourth grade English test.

The starting salary for teachers with a master's degree in our community is about $47,000. Nearly 15 percent of the teachers earn more than $82,000 for a ten-month work-year, plus health benefits and lifetime job security that could be the envy of every private sector employee. In addition to their base salaries, many teachers are paid extra for coaching and supervising clubs. One such teacher in our district with a base salary of $81,864 actually earns $102,732 a year.

Property taxes on Long Island have skyrocketed because of pay raises given public school teachers, raises that have averaged three times the inflation rate. In upcoming contract negotiations, teachers will demand even higher salaries, further driving up property taxes and placing a severe burden on homeowners and small businesses. In any new teachers' contract, salaries must be based on performance, capability and merit and on the standard test scores of the students in individual teacher's class.

Residents have to urge school boards to limit teachers' salary increases. Regrettably, school boards who negotiate teachers' contracts are dominated mostly by educators. The president of the school board in my area is a teacher who is a union member in a nearby school district.

Richard Andujar