LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A new report says Indiana teachers deserve a raise of nearly $10,000.
The report was done by the Next Level Teacher Compensation Commission, a panel of 13 members created by Gov. Eric Holcomb to figure out a way to make teacher salaries more competitive in Indiana when compared to other states.
The panel recommended raising the average teacher salary from $51,000 to $60,000, which they say would make Indiana's teacher pay competitive with other states.
The report says the current average teacher salary in the state of $51,119 ranks the state as 38th out of 50 states, including Washington D.C, and falls 18% below the national average. It also says the state has had "the lowest teacher salary growth in the nation over the last two decades."
"Hoosier teachers earn less than teachers in all our neighboring states, and Indiana's $36,498 starting salary is more than $3,600 below the national average. Significant pay gaps remain when adjusting for cost of living," the report reads.
"A $60,000 average salary for teachers would increase Indiana's rank from ninth to third in the Midwest and third among Indiana's neighbors."
However, it would take more than $600 million a year to make that happen, so the panel says cost-cutting and spending shifts would have to happen in the state to make the raises possible.
The report includes a total of 37 recommendations for local school corporations and state government. Those recommendations are broken down into three different categories: expense reallocations, additional revenues and policy changes, which the commission says can help improve teacher compensation.
As part of compiling the report and recommendations, the commission got feedback from over 1,000 teachers and citizens across the state who completed online surveys and participated in forums. They also worked with district leaders and leaders of educational associations.Â
To read the full report and the list of recommendations, click here.
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