Huntsman budget
Educators fully support Huntsman's budget recommendations — especially his continuing focus on improving educator compensation. "Throughout this budget we see a commitment for quality teaching," said Larry Shumway, state associate superintendent.
In the 2005-06 school year Utah teachers' salaries were below 75 percent of the the national average. In the following years the average has been on the rise and would be just under 90 percent if funded.
"I think that is significant improvement and he's committed to a continuing effort in this area to bring us to the national average, and that is tremendous," Shumway said.
He said increased compensation increases the ability to attract and retain quality teachers as well as an increase in other issues like job satisfaction.
The governor is also asking for $26 million to keep teachers in the field since around half leave the classroom in their first five years. The money would go to recruitment and retention programs and an expansion of teacher training programs and activities for educators in their early years.
Also included in the priorities was a recommendation approve ongoing funding of the $2,500 teacher salary stipend, approved by last year's Legislature, as additional funding to deal with enrollment growth.
Higher education
Nearly $1.3 billion is projected to go toward various initiatives in higher education, including $40 million for teacher compensation efforts.
"We're very pleased with the governor's recommendation," said Amanda Covington, spokeswoman for the office of higher education. "We're especially pleased with the amount given to student financial aid and the teacher initiative as well as teacher compensation."
Huntsman allocated more than $5 million to expand teacher education programs and nearly another $5 million toward financial aid opportunities for students.
For the most part, the governor's recommendations line up with what the state's System of Higher Education requested.
"In the last few years, the Legislature and the governor have really invested in higher education in Utah," Covington said, adding that government seems to be "more secure in their position that it's an investment in students, in families and in the economy.
"We're just a portion of that state budget pie, but we're really something that pays huge dividends when invested in."
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