Utah teacher shortage alarming, Herbert says

VERNAL — Lt. Gov. Gary Herbert spent very little time Tuesday during his keynote speech here to the 20th annual Uinta Basin Water Conference talking about water issues. Instead he chose to discuss plans to address Utah's need for teachers.

Herbert said Utah is ranked first in the nation for rate of job growth, averaging 4.5 percent per year in the past three years, with a 4.6 percent growth rate in 2007. Yet the consequence of record low unemployment — as little as 3.2 percent at one point last year, and currently 3.7 percent — is that employers, including the state's school districts, are having a hard time finding qualified teachers.

"We have had about a 400-teacher shortage this past year, so we're probably not doing something right," Herbert told the Deseret Morning News following his speech. "The low unemployment rate exacerbates the problem."

Several innovations will be needed in order to create "the best possible education opportunity for our children," Herbert said in his speech. The innovations include the obvious — raising teacher salaries — plus a plan to pay math and science teachers more than teachers in more easily recruited subjects such as English and history.

"We need to consider paying more for teachers with special talents," Herbert said, adding that he is also weary of "bickering" between supporters of private and public education. He said any changes to education in Utah "ought to be talked about in an atmosphere of mutual respect, with neither side saying we have all the answers.

"We have good public school experiences, good charter school and good private-school experiences," Herbert said. "They are all good experiences, and they can all work together so our children can compete in the global market."

But that doesn't mean Herbert or Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. are ready to support another private school voucher bill, the lieutenant governor clarified.

"The public has spoken its mind on vouchers, and it would probably be unwise to revisit the voucher issue at this time," Herbert told the Deseret Morning News. "I think there are other innovations that ought to be looked at, such as providing public schools with more local control."

Specifically, Herbert wants to see more policies set by local school boards rather than the state school board, and superintendents and principals given more power to hire and fire, all under the direction of local board members.