Teachers in South Dakota make about 82 cents for every dollar earned by those working in comparable occupations, according to an annual education report released Wednesday.

That puts South Dakota among the eight lowest states for the pay parity index, a new measure in the "Quality Counts 2008" report by Education Week and the Editorial Projects in Education Research Center.

The annual report ranks states in several categories, including performance from kindergarten to 12th grade, school finances, teacher quality and education standards.

South Dakota received an overall grade of C-minus, while the nationwide score was C.

The report found that public school teachers nationwide made 88 cents for every dollar earned by workers in 16 comparable fields, which include accountants, programmers, counselors, clergy and registered nurses.

It also found that nationwide, teachers salaries were more compressed than other professions, meaning they had less of a chance than workers in other areas to earn above-average salaries.

This year's report features another new index, chance for success, which captures the importance of education across a person's lifetime. South Dakota, boosted by strong early foundations, received a B in that category, surpassing the nationwide average of C-plus.

The state received a D-minus in transitions and alignment, which includes early childhood education, college readiness and economy and work force.

South Dakota was given a C-minus in kindergarten through 12th grade achievement, just ahead of the nationwide D-plus average.

On the Web:

Quality Counts 2008: http://www.edweek.org/go/qc08