Poll shows Utahns want teacher pay raises

Utah residents overwhelmingly want teachers to get another big raise this year — but also tie some pay to how good a job they're doing.

Three-fourths of respondents in a Dan Jones & Associates survey commissioned by the Deseret Morning News and KSL-TV say teachers definitely or probably should receive another $2,500 pay raise this year.

Last year, lawmakers set out to give them that much, plus a $1,000 bonus, and promise to clear up calculation errors that left some shortchanged.

Also, 70 percent of 413 Utah adults surveyed said they strongly or somewhat favor tying teacher pay to classroom performance standards.

The survey, conducted Jan. 8-10, has a 5 percent error margin.

Teacher pay, a top priority of Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr., is expected to be a big issue at the 2008 Legislature. The reason: A national teacher shortage. Statewide studies show Utah schools started last fall 173 teachers short. Below-average salaries make it tough to recruit teachers from out of state, or keep Utah college graduates here. And more than half of teachers quit in the first five years. All this is complicated by Utah's 14,000-student-a-year enrollment growth, creating even higher demand for qualified professionals.

Legislators are talking about giving teachers another $2,500 raise, said Rep. Ron Bigelow, R-West Valley and House budget chairman.

"I would say there probably is ... support, if there's funds," Bigelow said, characterizing the talks as preliminary at best. "The first issue is, will there be funds available? If there is a change in the economy, everything goes back in for discussion again."

New revenue estimates are expected in mid-February.

The state's largest teachers' union praises last year's raise. But Utah Education Association President Kim Campbell would rather see a boost in the state's per-student funding formula, the WPU, than another straight-up raise. That way, school districts have flexibility to meet other needs, like skyrocketing health insurance costs.

Also, last year's raise shook up contract negotiations and the long-standing salary schedule, essentially giving less money for longevity and giving beginning teachers a 10 percent raise and veterans half that.

"It was a great effort and a much-appreciated effort to boost teacher pay, but as a way of funding over time, there may be unintended consequences," Utah Education Association President Kim Campbell said. "Our preference would be that it go back to the WPU ... this legislative session. But I'd hate for that to be construed as (last year's) effort was not appreciated."

Campbell says the UEA is willing to study whether some pay should be tied to performance.