Johnny_Blaze_47
01-03-2007, 02:45 AM
Yes, this got published. Frankly, I'm not posting this for the article, but for the delicious headline.
And if only for me, chuckle slightly longer at this than you normally would. Let's just say I'm not sad about the Salt Lake Tribune being internationally embarrassed at this headline.
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http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/ci_4892687
Utah risks loosing its best teachers
Jeffrey Luke
Salt Lake Tribune
Article Last Updated:12/23/2006 01:13:47 PM MST
Seeing some disturbing recent reports concerning education in this state, I decided it was time to offer my viewpoints as a young teacher in Utah.
The first report was a comparison of Utah salaries with those in our neighbor states of Nevada and Wyoming. As reported in these stories, a new teacher can start out at $33,000 (plus a $2,000 signing bonus) and $40,000 in these states, respectively.
It would be ludicrous to think that these numbers would not draw the attention of any new teacher in this state. They certainly made me think about the possibilities. If I were to go to Wyoming, I would be getting around a 40 percent increase in my salary.
We would be able to afford a real house and land there instead of just the town home we can afford here. My wife wouldn't have to watch the neighbor's kids to pay for our son's gymnastics and preschool classes as she now does.
I wouldn't have to work two summer jobs, and maybe I would be able to sit and enjoy the high school football games instead of working at the gate to help make ends meet. For someone who values family time, the prospect of such an increase is very enticing.
As I think about what these neighbor states offer, I realize the genius (whether intended or not) behind it.
Many in Utah call for increased competition in education to improve the system. Charter schools, tuition tax credits and merit-based pay are the proposed solutions on which our legislators focus. What our neighbors have done is create competition in the quality of teachers applying for available jobs.
They are able to "steal" away the "best and brightest" Utah-educated and Utah-trained teachers, which I would think would be embarrassing to our state leaders who are supposedly dedicated to retaining them. With teacher shortages looming, our neighbors will get the qualified applicants, and Utah will get those less so.
Not to say that Utah won't retain some great teachers, but even a lot of older teachers are tired of just sticking it out because of the "goodness of their hearts" and are counting the years to retirement. When increasing insurance costs all but nullify any pay raise (even creating a pay reduction for younger teachers), it's easy to become dissatisfied with what is happening.
Consider that a Utah teacher with a master's degree and 14 years experience could leave Utah, start at year one on the pay scale in Wyoming and make more money, and the severity of the situation becomes apparent.
The second report that caught my attention was the recent budget request made by the State Board of Education for an additional $70 million to cover increasing enrollment next year. I found it ironic that this number is so close to the income-tax cut that state leaders pushed through in September.
Now, instead of having that money available to offset increasing enrollment numbers, legislators will complain when they have to find $70 million just to maintain the status quo. And that's without funds they should add to try to convince Utah teachers that they are truly valued and appreciated.
We can only hope, as the legislative session draws near, state leaders will see the looming crisis and finally make the hard decisions that they have previously avoided.
State leaders don't want to raise salaries across the board because they fear rewarding mediocre teachers (hence the merit-pay proponents).
What they don't understand is that, if they only maintain the current course, mediocre teachers will be all that are left in this state.
* JEFFREY LUKE is a third-year teacher, living in Payson. He teaches human biology at Timpview High School in Provo, and is married with two children.
And if only for me, chuckle slightly longer at this than you normally would. Let's just say I'm not sad about the Salt Lake Tribune being internationally embarrassed at this headline.
------
http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/ci_4892687
Utah risks loosing its best teachers
Jeffrey Luke
Salt Lake Tribune
Article Last Updated:12/23/2006 01:13:47 PM MST
Seeing some disturbing recent reports concerning education in this state, I decided it was time to offer my viewpoints as a young teacher in Utah.
The first report was a comparison of Utah salaries with those in our neighbor states of Nevada and Wyoming. As reported in these stories, a new teacher can start out at $33,000 (plus a $2,000 signing bonus) and $40,000 in these states, respectively.
It would be ludicrous to think that these numbers would not draw the attention of any new teacher in this state. They certainly made me think about the possibilities. If I were to go to Wyoming, I would be getting around a 40 percent increase in my salary.
We would be able to afford a real house and land there instead of just the town home we can afford here. My wife wouldn't have to watch the neighbor's kids to pay for our son's gymnastics and preschool classes as she now does.
I wouldn't have to work two summer jobs, and maybe I would be able to sit and enjoy the high school football games instead of working at the gate to help make ends meet. For someone who values family time, the prospect of such an increase is very enticing.
As I think about what these neighbor states offer, I realize the genius (whether intended or not) behind it.
Many in Utah call for increased competition in education to improve the system. Charter schools, tuition tax credits and merit-based pay are the proposed solutions on which our legislators focus. What our neighbors have done is create competition in the quality of teachers applying for available jobs.
They are able to "steal" away the "best and brightest" Utah-educated and Utah-trained teachers, which I would think would be embarrassing to our state leaders who are supposedly dedicated to retaining them. With teacher shortages looming, our neighbors will get the qualified applicants, and Utah will get those less so.
Not to say that Utah won't retain some great teachers, but even a lot of older teachers are tired of just sticking it out because of the "goodness of their hearts" and are counting the years to retirement. When increasing insurance costs all but nullify any pay raise (even creating a pay reduction for younger teachers), it's easy to become dissatisfied with what is happening.
Consider that a Utah teacher with a master's degree and 14 years experience could leave Utah, start at year one on the pay scale in Wyoming and make more money, and the severity of the situation becomes apparent.
The second report that caught my attention was the recent budget request made by the State Board of Education for an additional $70 million to cover increasing enrollment next year. I found it ironic that this number is so close to the income-tax cut that state leaders pushed through in September.
Now, instead of having that money available to offset increasing enrollment numbers, legislators will complain when they have to find $70 million just to maintain the status quo. And that's without funds they should add to try to convince Utah teachers that they are truly valued and appreciated.
We can only hope, as the legislative session draws near, state leaders will see the looming crisis and finally make the hard decisions that they have previously avoided.
State leaders don't want to raise salaries across the board because they fear rewarding mediocre teachers (hence the merit-pay proponents).
What they don't understand is that, if they only maintain the current course, mediocre teachers will be all that are left in this state.
* JEFFREY LUKE is a third-year teacher, living in Payson. He teaches human biology at Timpview High School in Provo, and is married with two children.