2007 is 'a banner year for education'

Public education received record funding this year with lawmakers aiming at increasing teacher compensation to help recruit and retain quality educators.

Lawmakers appropriated $459.5 million to public education — an unprecedented increase that trumps last year's record funding hike, resulting in a 34 percent increase in funding over two years.

Educators are calling this year's legislative wins a big step toward making teacher compensation packages competitive with other states.

To ensure state money went directly to teachers instead of filtering through the school districts, legislators voted to elevate the teacher pay scale in each of Utah's 40 districts by $2,500 along with funding $1,000 teacher bonuses.

"There is no question this is a banner year for education," said Rep. Brad Last R-St. George. "We hope that this helps and that in some ways young people are encouraged to go into education."

Lawmakers also addressed the state's critical teacher shortages by making the profession more attractive to college students and taking steps to become competitive in the Western states.

"We are particularly excited that there has been a very strong emphasis on teacher compensation and appreciate their recognition both for the current teacher who has been waiting for this for some time and for the ability we'll have to recruit and retain new teachers," said Patti Harrington, state superintendent of public instruction. "At some point we have to get up to the Western states' average.

Lawmakers set aside $68.7 million for the raises going to all certified teachers and administrators while another $33 million will go toward one-time teacher bonuses.

Additionally the Legislature opted to fund the Terrel H. Bell Incentive Loan Program that would give scholarships to students pursuing teaching degrees if they declare intent to teach in Utah.

On top of the teacher raises, legislators funded a 4 percent weighted pupil unit increase, and the majority of that funding has historically gone to teacher compensation. Leaders said that with the raises and WPU increase combined it would equal a near 8 percent WPU increase.

Outside of compensation funding, $50 million in one-time money was set aside to infuse Utah classrooms with up-to-date technology. Recent reports have indicated Utah has the fewest classroom computers per student in the nation, and lawmakers said the funding will help the state's classrooms catch up.

"In the future many states will be looking at Utah as an example of what can be done with technology," said Last.