Reader comments
Teacher raises, bonuses to cost extra $42 million

It's nice to see the teachers get a pay raise. But who is going to be watching the prison since officers are leaving and the are 150 officers down at this point due to low pay?

Why did the legislature promise a pay raise and not realize that there was not enough money to pay for it? My understanding is when a bill is presented the auditors look for how to fund the bill, before it ever goes to the floor. It makes me nervous that that kind of oversight exists. The pay raise is long over due and I hope the legislature can figure out how to make it work this time.

In our district the $2500 raise became just over $1900 and the $1000 bonus netted the average teacher just over $600. Some districts ate the taxes on the front end, others did not passing them on to their employees. Many districts used the Legislature raise as an "excuse" not to throw any additional money for their teachers, many districts reduced benefits as well. The "raise" for many was overrated.

Please consider the bonus of $600 is not every month but if prorated over how 12 months is $50 a month. It is great to have a raise and a bonus, especially after the very recent tough years, but sometimes the public has a misunderstanding that all of this money actually made it to the teachers. In many cases over a $1000 of it didn't and many districts cut or reduced benefits, a trend in many Utah school districts in recent years.

I agree with the previous post that prison officers need a substantial raise but to be truthful this last raise was really a drop in the bucket of what is needed for teachers (or watch the exodus continue and teacher shortage get worse).