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The shortage of math and science teachers in the state has reached crisis levels, and lawmakers pushed forward two bills on Tuesday to deal with the problem.
Senate Bill 35 would give highly qualified math and science teachers a $5,000 raise. The raise is needed, says Sen. Howard Stephenson, R-Draper, because traditional bonuses used to hire teachers won't work to lure those originally headed to another field.
"People getting a degree in math or science are typically not on track to be teachers," Stephenson said.
However bad the shortage, the Utah Education Association won't support the bill. Extra money for specific teaching categories will cause divisiveness among those who don't get the raise, it says.
"We're not sure the divisiveness is necessary, and at the $5,000 level is going to be worth it," said Vic Arnold with the UEA.
Sens. Patricia Jones and Ross Romero, both D-Salt Lake, questioned the wisdom of singling out subjects of teachers for raises. Instead, Jones would like to see all teachers funded "in an adequate way."
Sen. Greg Bell, R-Fruit Heights, disagreed. Like an open market, he said, positions in need deserve the money it takes to fill them. Blanket pay for all teaching types is past its time, he said.
"I think this is the day we have to unbundle this concept in public education."
Arnold said districts already have the latitude to increase salaries for hard-to-fill positions.
Senate Bill 39 will create a Mathematics, Science, and Technology Education Task Force to study education and standards in those areas. Such a task force is needed, said Chairwoman Margaret Dayton, R-Orem, given the appalling state of Utah's math scores in recent reports. She cited the example of a testifying mathematician who said that NASA, which can only hire American citizens, is having a hard time filling positions.
The Senate Education Committee approved each of the bills 7-1, with Romero casting the nay vote each time. The bills now move to the Senate floor for debate.
SB 35, Differentiated Pay for Teachers
Sponsor: Sen. Howard Stephenson, R-Draper
The bill would give highly qualified math and science teachers a $5,000 raise.
SB 39, Mathematics, Science, and Technology Education Task Force (Sen. Stephenson, H.)
Sponsor: Sen. Howard Stephenson, R-Draper
The bill would create a task force to study education and standards in the areas of math, science and technology.
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