Reader comments
Governor's priorities: 6-8% wage increase for educators is No. 1

How about a pay increase for police officers?

What a joke, this 6-8% barely meets cost of living for one year let alone a raise over several years that does not keep up with inflation. No wonder Utah has teacher shortages with this kind of political manuvering and injustice to our teachers. If all the money collected for public education was put in to public education and teachers paid fairly we wouldn't have a problem. Putting public education funds in to the state general funds is the real problem, they are used for other than public education. Colleges do not qualify as public education and should receive none of the public education funds. Besides, the colleges have billions, with a B, of tax dollars invested in the stock market that has been diverted from the taxpayers. These taxes are collected for public education, K1-K12 education and not for every use to be determined by the state budget or colleges. As the system is working we have to send high school graduates to college to get their High School equivilancy education before they can start taking college level courses. Our primary level teachers are underpaid, overworked with the illegals, and do not get the recognition they deserve.

I totally agree that teachers AND police officers are paid way too little!

Teachers have never received the promised pay increase for this year. What happened to the $1000 bonus that each teacher was suppose to get? Gov Huntsman keeps talking but nothing changes. It all sounds good but nothing comes through on the teacher's paycheck. He needs to put his words into action.
Police officers should have an increase also.

A pay increase is good, but the reason many of my friends are quitting is because teaching has gotten so much more stressful. Students come without basic needs being taken care of, and many students and their parents have no respect for other students or the teacher. I am drained by the end of the day. Lower class sizes would help.

Havent we already heard this once before? Pretty sure we have and he hasnt delivered yet, is it getting time for re-election? Same old promises same old never going to happen!

It's about time! Give them even more. They directly effect the next generation of society.

could the Gov. be backpeddling after throwing his support in favor of vouchers? he needs these votes if he is to remain in office.

I don't think a $10,000 - $15,000 raise per year would be too far fetched. We really need to pay teacher enough to attract teachers here to Utah instead of chasing them away.

I am proud of the Governor for his stance. My wife is a school teacher and as he promised, come December 1st she will receive a check for $995. I am not going to take shots at him over $5. I am glad to see that a debate over vouchers has brought education to the front of Utah politics as it receives some much needed attention.

Teachers did get the 2500 ongoing bonus and 1000 one time bonus that was promised them.

Teachers form our future. I dont know of anyone who does not have a story of a teacher that has had a positive impact on their life. I think the folks on the hill should be tied to that same increase as the teachers. I bet conditions would improve than. Who knows they might even get all that great free health insurance the rest of us cant afford.

Teachers, police officers, social workers, etc. Welcome to a budget...did you know Utah's government workers make around 80% on average what other states are paying? Guess what, so are the employees from private industry in Utah. Why is that you might ask? Utah has unique demographics with younger workers with less experience...comes lower AVERAGE pay. If one properly adjusts for tenure differences I imagine the pay issue for everyone would be shown to be statistical insignificant. Especially if one also adjusted for cost of living differences from surrounding states.

In response to maybelle

The legislature made enough money available last year so each teacher could get the $1000 bonus. The problem is with each district. Some district couldn't even accuratly report the number of teachers who were working in the district! Others justified holding back some of the money for other priorites.

District leaders are rarely held accountable for the decision they make. They sit on the sidelines and deflect the blame to the state legislature.

To M I would say that yes it will be election time soon. Put your name in the ring and make your difference!

While I certainly believe that teachers deserve better compensation for the work they do, I also strongly believe that other state employees are underpaid as well. In many departments of state government, the entry level employees are required to have a Bachelor's degree (just like teachers), complete continuing education (just like teachers), and are underpaid (just like teachers). Unforuntately, state employees have no tenure (unlike teachers), work 12 months per year (unlike teachers), have zero union support (unlike teachers), and get almost zero raises (unlike teachers). Sorry, but I am sick to death of listening to teachers whine, complain, moan, and groan about their pay while other state employees work just as hard (or harder) for much less compensation. Yes, they deserve more, but so do other state employees.

And...if you are going to come back with the lame argument about lesson preparation time, out of pocket spending, and grading papers at home, don't bother. That is a trite argument with very very little validity. Teachers have it pretty good!

Whether or not teachers get the $2500 raise and $1000 bonus depends on the school district the teacher is in--some school districts gave it to the teachers and others did not.

A pay raise is great for teachers but instead legislature should look at the increased money to the school system instead of the individual teachers. Last year when they gave the $2500 to teachers, they were micromanaging the school system in contridiction to many of rules the legislature has already put in place. In otherwords if teachers get a pay raise, classified personal are supposed to get an equal or great increase as per state law. So schools were left in an awkward position. Do they base classified salaries on the 6% beginning teachers got with the $2500 or the 2.5% the senior teachers got or the 4.3% average. I think the money was given last year with the intent of breaking the salary scedule more then to help the teachers. The legislature needs to trust that the schools are in the business of educating children and that they are aware of the problems, including teacher pay. So instead of micromanaging the schools, the legislature should fund the schools adiquately and let them do their jobs. All of Utah will receive benefits if they do that and it will help heal the divide we have now between schools and legislature.

I am a Teacher, and I have not seen one red cent of any bonus of any kind.

I'll believe it when I see it. I have no reason to trust the governor or any politician on the hill.

The State Office of Education has just collected the count of all educators from districts' November 1 employee rolls. That figure will determine how much of the legislative bonus is transfered to each district.

As per legislative requirements, any teacher who is under corrective action will not receive the bonus.

In most districts, teachers may expect the bonus in their December paycheck. (Don't expect an even $1,000; federal/state employer and employee taxes are deducted first.)