Size of Teacher Raises in Question

None by KCPW

(KCPW News) When lawmakers promised Utah teachers a $2,500 pay raise, they meant it. And now legislators are getting nervous that school districts may not bestow the raises as they intended.

"I'm looking to make sure that money goes to the teachers on their paycheck and is not sidelined by the State Office of Education or the local district," warned Representative Brad Dee.

Dee sponsored the bill to give the $2,500 raise. His stern warning came during a tense meeting with state education officials today. During the meeting lawmakers learned the $2,500 raise will actually be closer to $2,400 thanks to a mysterious addition of several hundred teachers into the state's database.

Associate State Superintendent Patrick Ogden said "I think it's because the districts are smart. And as soon as they saw what was coming down the line and knew we would take numbers from the database. So they got busy and cleaned up their numbers. That resulted in more teachers on the system than when we first ran the numbers."

Legislators were shocked at the revelation, calling it a blatant "gaming of the system." Superintendent Patti Harrington said districts only meant to make the database more accurate. Senate President John Valentine says he will request a legislative audit of the matter.

Meanwhile, lawmakers directed the State School Board to create rules that will guarantee the $2,500 raises are permanent and not subject to use for other school expenses.

Email to a friendPosted in KCPW Newsroom, Legislative Coverage, and 2007 Legislative Coverage. Copyright 2008 KCPW