Latest news with #SenateBill146
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Strengthening Indiana's teaching profession
School choice bill amended but passes; plus financial literacy and graduation waivers addressed. (Getty Images) Indiana's teachers dedicate their lives to shaping the future of our state. They work long hours and go above and beyond for their students, playing an essential role in strengthening our communities. To ensure Indiana remains a place where talented educators want to teach and stay, we must continue to invest in policies that strengthen the teaching profession and support the educators who shape our future workforce. Senate Bill 146, authored by GOP Sen. Linda Rogers, would raise the minimum teacher salary to $45,000; require schools to allocate at least 65% of their state funding to teacher compensation; and provide at least 20 days of paid parental leave for full-time teachers — policies that ISTA has long championed. The average teacher salary in Indiana during the last school year was recorded at $60,557 — up from $58,531 the year prior — according to the 2023-24 state teacher compensation report by the Indiana Education Employment Relations Board (IEERB). Before that, average annual salaries were $56,609 in 2021-2022 and $ 53,991 in 2020-21. The lowest teacher salary reported was $40,000 — the current state-mandated minimum. The highest was $110,000. Teacher pay is ultimately set by local school districts. These priorities, which Gov. Mike Braun and legislative leaders support, represent a significant step toward making the teaching profession more competitive and sustainable in our state. ISTA supports this legislation and appreciates the leadership of the governor and lawmakers in recognizing the importance of investing in teachers. The lowest teacher salary reported was $40,000 — the current state-mandated minimum. The highest was $110,000. Teacher pay is ultimately set by local school districts. Competitive salaries and benefits are essential to strengthening Indiana's schools. Polling among Indiana educators shows that nearly two-thirds are dissatisfied with current conditions in the profession, and nearly one in four is considering leaving within the next two to three years. One of the top reasons? Low pay and increasing burnout. Retaining experienced educators and attracting new talent is critical to ensuring stability in our schools and improving student learning outcomes. Braun has made it clear that increasing teacher pay is a priority and now is the time for unified action. Raising salaries and providing paid parental leave are policies that will help attract and retain talented educators, ensuring that Indiana students continue to receive the high-quality public education they deserve. Providing at least 20 days of paid parental leave is especially important, as it recognizes that teachers — like workers in other professions — shouldn't have to choose between spending time growing their families and thriving in their careers. SB146 reinforces the critical role that teachers play in student success by directing more resources toward teacher compensation. Research consistently shows that when teachers are well-supported, student achievement improves. Directing more education funding toward educators will strengthen classrooms, increase individualized student support and enhance long-term educational outcomes. ISTA and its members appreciate efforts to improve pay and benefits for Indiana's educators and look forward to continued collaboration with the governor and lawmakers. Investing in teacher pay, ensuring that a greater share of education funding supports educators and expanding paid parental leave will strengthen Indiana's teaching profession. We encourage continued progress on SB146, recognizing its potential to make a meaningful impact on public education. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Senate OKs oversight of property leases, projects
PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) — The South Dakota Senate has given unanimous approval for lawmakers to have more control over long-term property leases that state government enters, as well as state Department of Game, Fish and Parks projects and leases costing more than $2.5 million. Republican Sen. Chris Karr is prime sponsor of both measures. The 35-0 votes on Monday sends them forward to the House of Representatives for further action. They are in response to deals that were made in the past six years while Kristi Noem was governor. DOC official: No contingency if new prison plan fails Senate Bill 144 would require legislative approval for GFP works. Senate Bill 145 would require legislative approval for 'any proposed real property lease by the state where the initial term of the lease exceeds a commitment of fifteen years and the base rent due during the initial term either exceeds $5,000,000 in total for the rental payments due during the term of the lease or $50,000 per month during the term of the lease.' In recent years, state government entered into leases for One Stop centers in several cities that are costing significantly more than when the services in those communities were offered at various locations. Data provided in the past to the Legislature's Joint Committee on Appropriations showed: In Sioux Falls, the One Stop lease cost $7,648,618 per year. That was a $5,598,740 increase. In Rapid City, the One Stop lease cost $1,760,250 per year. That was a $1,125,056 increase. In Spearfish, the One Stop lease cost $382,610 per year. That was a $197,983 increase. In Huron, the One Stop lease cost $328,474 per year. That was a $211,154 increase. In Madison, the One Stop lease cost $113,738 per year. That was a $29,018 increase. Karr noted that state agencies in turn also needed $11 million of new furniture when they moved into the new locations. The Senate on Monday approved a third Karr measure, Senate Bill 146, that would further restrict financial transfers within state government. 'These would stop those things from happening,' he told reporters afterward about the three-bill package. Karr said the oversight would be required regardless if the project resulted from a gift. Had the legislation been in effect, it would have covered the One Stop leases as well as projects such as the shooting range complex outside Rapid City that GFP plans to open later this year, at an estimated cost of $19.5 million, and the Outdoor Campus East renovations in Sioux Falls that will cost an estimated $6.5 million. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
09-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Bill to increase starting teacher pay applauded by local educators
ALEXANDRIA — Legislation currently under consideration in the Indiana House of Representatives that would increase minimum salaries for the state's teachers and expand health care services for school corporation employees is enjoying widespread support among those in the profession, including several local educators. Senate Bill 146, authored by state Sen. Linda Rogers, R-Granger, would increase minimum teacher salaries to $45,000 from $40,000. It would also require districts to spend at least 65% of their state tuition support on teacher compensation. The bill unanimously passed the Senate Committee on Education and Career Development and has been referred to the Indiana House for further debate. J.T. Morgan, a fourth-grade teacher at Alexandria Elementary School, said teacher salaries and difficulties in retaining teachers frequently go hand in hand. 'Any time you can increase the minimum salary, I think that is fantastic,' Morgan said. 'Obviously, in the last several years, public education has struggled with retaining teachers and we need to fix that. Salary, of course, is a part of it.' Alexandria has around 100 certified teachers for the elementary and the high school combined, with a current starting salary of $48,700. Brent Baker, the superintendent for Alexandria Community Schools, said increasing the minimum salary for teachers would help decrease some financial stress. 'Teachers need to be able to have a job where they can dedicate their time to their craft and to their classroom and to their students,' Baker said. 'They shouldn't have to worry about working a second job to pay the bills.' Baker said that although Alexandria schools are not currently struggling to find teachers, 'any time we can increase teacher pay, we should look into it.' While lauding the idea of increasing teachers' minimum salary, Morgan wondered what can be done for longer tenured educators. 'We want to bring up the minimum salary, which I think is great,' Morgan said, 'but I think we also have to remember the teachers who have given years of experience. What are we doing for those teachers to retain them and to make them feel the worth from a financial perspective as well?' Morgan, who has worked as a teacher since 2003, also wondered, with inflation and the cost of living rising, how comparable his starting salary would be from 2003 to 2025. Frankton-Lapel Community Schools has 173 certified staff members, with a starting pay of $43,250 for the 2024-25 school year. Sterling Boles, the superintendent at FLCS, said the school corporation is currently fully staffed. He said the current legislation will help administrators create and maintain environments that would both attract new teachers and help the district hold on to well-performing ones. 'With its focus on increasing teacher pay, (SB 146) would have a positive impact on our school corporation by helping us remain competitive in attracting and retaining high-quality educators,' Boles said. 'Increased salaries would make our district more appealing to new teachers entering the profession and could also encourage experienced educators to stay, reducing turnover.' South Madison Community Schools currently employs approximately 265 teachers, with a starting pay of $50,000. Superintendent Mark Hall said that while South Madison is always on the lookout or teachers, administrators did not have trouble filling spots for the current school year. He said the district favors increased funding for teacher salaries, viewing the measure as an investment in the district's students as well. 'I think any time we can increase funding for our teachers, that is important,' Hall said. 'I think the 65%, spending that on teacher compensation, I think that just guarantees that school districts are putting their money where it should be, which is in their teaching staffs.' Morgan said that the emotional side of teaching is what a lot of teachers enjoy the most about the profession. 'When you have been teaching as long as some of our veteran teachers have, you are doing this because of the love you have for your students and for their successes in the classroom as well as out of the classroom,' he said. 'I tell my students all the time, 'I am here because I love and care about you and want you to be well-rounded individuals when you step out of this building.' 'We are trying to prepare them for the real world and even though my students are just fourth graders, we are laying that groundwork for them now.'
