Lawmakers to seek big boost in teachers' pay

Some state lawmakers want to increase teacher salaries in Utah from among the lowest in the nation to above the national average.

If approved, that transition would take place over a four-year period. But it could require a trade-off with class-size reduction efforts.

Sen. Howard Stephenson, R-Draper, co-chairman of the Public Education Appropriations Committee, said he has been trying to persuade lawmakers to adopt the four-year goal and include it as part of the Legislature's appropriations for public education.

"I think it is something that can be achieved over the next four years and would ensure that we have the quality of teachers in classrooms that children deserve, and be able to retain the teachers that we currently have," Stephenson said.

The plan would require $200 million in ongoing funding for the next four years. He said $50 million a year would go into differential pay — pay for teachers in subject areas where there are shortages — and merit pay, money that would go to teachers whose students show academic gains from year to year.

According to Stephenson, the plan is a better approach to improving education in Utah than class-size reduction.

"We don't see the light at the end of the tunnel as far as getting class sizes at national average — it's such a huge cost," Stephenson said. "Rather than pushing for class-size reduction, a better approach is to pay teachers significantly more money and empower them with computer-assisted instruction. ... It has the same effect as lower class sizes."

Stephenson also wants $30 million to infuse Utah classrooms with up-to-date technology. Members of the Public Education Appropriations Committee saw presentations last week from software vendors with computer programs that provided quasi- one-on-one instruction — in a number of subject areas — that could assess ability levels, pinpoint problems and guide students through activities.

"Every student could be reading 20 minutes per day in a classroom with technology and computer-assisted instruction and interactive tutoring — right now, teachers can't do that," Stephenson said.

But some Utah teachers said it shouldn't have to be a choice between competitive teacher pay and class-size reduction.

"With close to a $2 billion surplus, we don't believe that it's an either-or decision," said Kim Campbell, Utah Education Association president. "We think with that kind of money you can do all three of the kinds of things that teachers need — salary increases, class-size reduction and modern tools."