Teachers Could Get Another $2,500 Raise
None by Elizabeth Ziegler
(KCPW News) A House Committee voted unanimously to give Utah teachers another $2,500 raise this year. But division remains among some lawmakers and educators who would rather the state give the money directly to school districts in the form of an increase in the weighted pupil unit, or WPU. Representative John Dougall says it's a matter of local control.
"I think it's pretty apparent I'm a fan of increasing the WPU," Dougall says, "improving local control, providing the locals with greater flexability to target the money where it's best needed to meet the needs of their community."
The American Fork Republican says some districts have more pressing funding priorities, such as boosting wages for support staff - including bus drivers, janitors and special education aids - or implementing new classroom programs. However, the committee decided in favor of a substitute bill sponsored by Representative Gage Froerer that gives the money directly to teachers.
"I am not an opponent of local control, by any means," Froerer says. "The reason I brought this forward, is that I really see the disparity, especially with starting and younger teachers, And, I feel that really needs to be raised as quickly as possible so we can retain and attract those teachers."
Froerer reasons the $2,500 dollars represents a larger percentage raise for beginning teachers at the bottom of the pay-scale, compared to higher-paid, more experienced teachers. The Huntsville Republican says the Legislature should prioritize boosting beginning teachers' salaries until they are on par with other entry-level salaries in comparable fields. And with a budget surplus this year, he argues the state has a fleeting opportunity to do just that. The substitute bill gained the committee's support and now goes to the Office of Education for fiscal analysis.
Email to a friendPosted in KCPW Newsroom. Copyright 2009 KCPW
1. ron jenson said:
Teachers need the money not the districts to tease teachers with. State and local administrators need to weed out the non productive in their ranks.
2. Chad Vigil said:
In Jordan School District in the south end of Salt Lake valley, the superintendant makes $197,000 a year and gets a lexus every year for a bonus. If he chooses, he's able to take the cash instead of the lexus. So that puts his salary at around 240 to 250 grand. Why cant some of his cash go towards some funding for supplies or raises? There are several people in the district office who are "feeders"-meaning they look over all schools feeding into a specific high school. There are several of these positions in the district office. They make around 120,000 each. Pretty much everyone working in the district office makes over 100,000. Its easy to see why teachers are paid so poorly. Does the legislature realize where all the money is distributed by the districts such as this one?