While Sperry said teacher salaries will likely not jump dramatically anytime soon, Utah colleges could do a better job of combating the low pay with vamped-up recruitment campaigns. Better counseling to guide students toward teaching could be the first step, he said.

"You don't see ads on TV calling for people to go into teaching, and we may just need to do more to bring the benefits of being a teacher to the attention of younger people," he said.

At the U., instructor Mary Burbank is trying to get high school students deciding now to be teachers. A new program with Highland High allows students to get classroom experience and begin taking pedagogy courses early.

"We're trying to encourage teachers who may not normally come into the field," Burbank said. "We hope to provide our students with experiences that don't have too many surprises in the first few years in the classroom."

Sperry is also looking toward alternative licensing to lure qualified professionals into schools.

At USU, Peggie Clelland is also trying to tap the professional arena for talent with the university's alternative route to licensure program. While several Utah schools offer classes to help professionals gain a teaching license, USU's program is unique because students earn a master's degree instead of a second bachelor's.

Clelland's first crop of licensed teachers graduated this year after the two-year course. All of the students were able to teach during that time as long as they were making progress toward a license.

"They have the content background, they have the experience. They bring world views to the classroom. They're knowledgable in their field," she said. "Where they need help is in classroom management and how to present that material to students."

Clelland added that having USU track the students takes a burden off principals who are often wary of hiring teachers who aren't fully licensed.

"They feel like they have a grounding, and that's what Utah State offers them," she said. "There's that two-year support where someone's tracking you. That's very different than someone just expected to find courses on their own."

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E-mail: estewart@desnews.com