The idea of eliminating a "three-month layoff every year" seems a good one, said Sen. Howard Stephenson, R-Draper, co-chairman of the Public Education Appropriations Subcommittee. But he wondered how to change Utah's summers-off culture.

"I personally think it can be done," said Kendell, noting many elementaries have gone year-round because of crowding and received public support because people don't want to raise taxes to build new buildings. "But it's going to be an uphill battle."

The trimester concept comes from a K-16 Alliance special task force examining ways to nip the teacher shortage in the bud.

Right now, nearly half of teachers leave the profession in their first five years, and teacher colleges are not turning out enough graduates to fill in holes.

Utah teacher salaries lag behind other occupations requiring similar experience by about 10 to 15 percent, and 30 percent for positions requiring a background in math or science, according to a Department of Workforce Services study prepared for the task force.

Part of the problem, Kendell said, is a nine-month work contract.

"They work very hard...(but) it's still part-time work," he said, adding the average American worker puts in 240 to 260 days a year, not 180 or 190. "No business I know of can afford to shut down for three months every year, but we do it."

Utah ranks fifth in salary among seven bordering states, and ninth among the 11 Western states, with its average teacher salary of $39,456 in 2004-05, the Utah Education Association reports.

Starting salaries in Colorado are around $36,000 a year, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Patti Harrington said. The UEA reports Colorado's average teacher salary in 2004-05 was $43,949.

Lawmakers are acting. This year, they passed a law giving every teacher a $2,500 raise and a $1,000 bonus. Two local school districts, Provo and Jordan, reported an average of 12 percent teacher raises for the coming year.

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E-mail: jtcook@desnews.com