Huntsman endorses a full year for teachers

A proposal to have teachers work a full year instead of nine months to help fix the current teacher shortage and improve pay received the governor's blessing Wednesday.

Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. told school and college bosses, and the legislators who hold their purse strings, that he likes the trimester idea — basically, extending the school year into a summer session — proposed by the K-16 Alliance last March.

The concept is one of five forwarded by the alliance, which aims to better align public and higher education in Utah.

The trimester idea would give teachers contracts longer than the traditional 180 to 190 days a year and therefore, higher pay because they're working more. It would help spread around a thin supply of science and math teachers — for instance, make sure buildings don't largely sit empty for three months — and give students more flexibility in their schedules, according to the proposal.

"I'm not going to rest until we ... get to the point we're paying teachers what they deserve, which is basically what they're getting in surrounding states," Huntsman told the Public Education and Higher Education appropriations committees, the Utah Board of Regents and the State Board of Education in a joint meeting at Granite District headquarters Wednesday.

"We need to think seriously about the trimester system. Why? It makes better use of all of our buildings, it makes better use of our teachers ... (and) I think it's too compelling as it relates to compensation," Huntsman said. "I, for one, in the upcoming legislative session, would be in favor of trying (it in) three or four different districts ... cutting loose on a model."

Huntsman said pay is a common issue raised in his meetings with Utah school districts. The governor has met with 35 of the 40 school districts to better understand matters important to them.

His comments came after Utah's higher education commissioner, Rich Kendell, proposed piloting a summer magnet program at, say, Bountiful High, as a way to try out the trimester system. The pilot could offer calculus, physics, field research, biology and science education workshops for elementary school teachers.

"I think you could create some centers of science and math excellence in the state and give every science and math teacher an opportunity for a year-round contract," Kendell said. It would be by choice, both for kids and teachers to participate, and likely "overwhelmed with parent and student interest."

Doing a pilot would cost money, though a full-blown trimester system is projected to be revenue-neutral.