A bill sponsored by west-central Indiana Senator Spencer Deery would help school districts better compensate their most valued teachers. The West Lafayette Republican’s bill passed the Senate Committee on Education and Career Development this week and moved to the full Indiana Senate for review.
Senator Deery explained that current law allows schools to offer teachers supplemental pay in addition to their base salary under the school’s negotiated salary schedule. But he adds such payments are rarely utilized. In a news release Senator Deery said his bill (Senate Bill 249) seeks to change that by permitting school corporations to fund the supplemental paychecks before collective bargaining. Additionally, the bill requires that at least 10-percent of routine teacher raises be based on the academic needs of students.
“Schools across Indiana face challenges in recruiting and retaining teachers in high-need subjects like special education, STEM, and English as a Second Language,” said Senator Deery. “Senate Bill 249 would empower school administrators to offer higher salaries to educators who choose to work in these areas, which often experience teacher shortages.”
