I hold a degree to teach but 10 years ago was not able to find a job. Today I would love to teach but there is no way I could cut my salary from slightly more than $90k to less than $30k just to go teach. If we have a shortage of teachers then it seems the price we pay for teachers should increase, if schools can function as a business would. I refuse to send my children to any private school that does not require teacher certification; why would I send my children to any public school that is forced to use uncertified teachers due to a shortage? It's time to fix this system. Moving out of congested urban areas is looking more and more attractive to me!

While looking for a job as a teacher after graduating a few years ago I wanted to work in Utah. After looking into jobs and seeing the cost of living there would be no way I could afford to survive. I find that it is sad to know that I could make more working fast food then I could make as a teacher.

I found a job teaching in Wyoming and I am being paid $15,000 more then a teacher in Utah. I miss living in Utah but being able to survive and save is more important to me then where I live.

Utah needs to get with the program and pay teachers what they deserve. If you have a shortage of teachers it is your own fault. I guess the state has put a price tag on how much they value the education of their children and it is sad.

I'm all for paying teachers a livable wage. What I am getting sick and tired of is the Alpine District's tearful pleas every two years to tax us for ANOTHER $230 million dollars in bond monies that will only add a few dollars to our annual property tax. Well in 2007 there was no bond election yet my tax bill went up in the Alpine category by $110!!! Last year was a similiar story as was the year before. The district spends millions, but it obviously isn't going to teachers. They are sure building a number of Taj Mahal eduction centers however.

I spent eight years teaching "extended contract" in Jordan District year around elementary schools. It helped me financially for two reasons: 1. I was paid 25% more, and 2. Due to the short vacation I had very little time to spend it. The district benefited as well. For every four teachers on full year contract they saved one benefit package and for every four schools they saved a new building.

Moving away from the traditional school agricultural schedule and paradigm could make many work and other opportunities available to high school students, and provide more unskilled employees for local businesses employers.

The Extended contracts are so few in Jordan and was something I wanted. I only know of them at Oakridge, but I guess there are probably one or two other sites that have them. But I wasn't hired on in JSD after twenty-five interviews. There still is a bit of a glut of available teachers with el ed degrees. Neither were more than a hundred candidates.

If I was a Spec Ed, or ESL teacher where the shortage always existed maybe. But as is, we still fill our schools one way or another.