Big raises for many teachers
Some will be getting more than a 10% hike
Most of the raises are coming from the $2,500 lawmakers promised for every Utah schoolteacher. But some school districts are ponying up an additional cost-of-living increase — as high as 3.5 percent in Wasatch County.
"Without question it was a real benefit to teachers to get that money this year. Without question," said Courtney White, director of research and bargaining for the Utah Education Association.
Legislators last winter pledged to every Utah schoolteacher a $2,500 raise and a $1,000 bonus. But the Office of the Legislative Auditor General found the program was short up to $20 million for raises and $2.4 million for the bonuses because of several calculation errors and apparent misunderstandings.
The raise, for instance, was supposed to be $2,500 after taxes. But most school districts that have settled contracts — there are at least 11 — got around $1,930 per teacher. And that's what they're giving, until more money is available.
But Weber and South Sanpete are giving teachers the full $2,500, on a sort of a leap of faith that legislators will make good on their promise to fill in the gap in the 2008 Legislature next winter, White said.
So far, things are shaking out like this:
Davis, Granite, Jordan, Wasatch, Washington, Salt Lake, Provo and Tintic teachers are getting around $1,900 and change, White said. Districts will give them the rest of the $2,500 pay raise if and when the Legislature comes through, White said.
South Sanpete and Weber are doing the full $2,500, White said. "I've heard several others will probably go (that) route," he added.
Most districts so far also are giving teachers some kind of cost-of-living increase separate from the legislative money, he said. Those raises so far range from a little over 1 percent in Jordan and Weber to 3.5 percent in Wasatch.
"We were cheering," said Wasatch Education Association President Valerie Thurnell. But much of that 3.5 percent raise, largely possible due to growth in the local tax base, is aimed at retaining teachers, who are leaving to places they can afford to live, she said.
"It's a catch-up thing," Thurnell said.
The Legislature gave a 4 percent increase in the weighted pupil unit, the state's basic per-student funding formula that traditionally sets the pace for teacher raises. The money is making extra raises possible — sort of. Much of those monies are being eaten up by health insurance, pay raises for school support staff and leaders, White said.
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