Tuesday, August 26, 2025
77.0°F

Bill would increase pay for veteran teachers

DEVIN WEEKS | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 5 years, 6 months AGO
by DEVIN WEEKS
Devin Weeks is a third-generation North Idaho resident. She holds an associate degree in journalism from North Idaho College and a bachelor's in communication arts from Lewis-Clark State College Coeur d'Alene. Devin embarked on her journalism career at the Coeur d'Alene Press in 2013. She worked weekends for several years, covering a wide variety of events and issues throughout Kootenai County. Devin now mainly covers K-12 education and the city of Post Falls. She enjoys delivering daily chuckles through the Ghastly Groaner and loves highlighting local people in the Fast Five segment that runs in CoeurVoice. Devin lives in Post Falls with her husband and their three eccentric and very needy cats. | February 22, 2020 1:00 AM

Idaho Gov. Brad Little on Wednesday released his top priority for 2020: A five-year, $225 million plan to increase compensation for veteran teachers.

This plan would create a path for teachers to earn up to $63,000 by the 2024-2025 school year. Presently, teacher salaries hit a ceiling at $50,000, although it is up to individual districts to make up the difference to provide higher salaries. In Coeur d'Alene, for instance, a teacher who has taught for 15 years and holds a bachelor's degree with at least 70 credits of continued education can make $66,483 with longevity bonuses of $1,650, according to the salary schedule for fiscal year 2020.

“It has been a constant theme of mine for the year, month and two weeks that I have been governor that we have to be competitive on teacher pay,” Little said during a briefing with reporters before the bill was introduced.

The House Education Committee quickly and unanimously voted to introduce the bill.

This bill would create a new top tier of the career ladder salary law. Little’s bill would add an “advanced professional compensation” rung above the career ladder’s existing residency and professional rungs.

The original career ladder was established by former Gov. Butch Otter in 2015 to attract candidates to education with a five-year $250 million program to increase teacher pay.

According to Idaho Education News, now that the career ladder has been implemented and Little has secured additional funding to increase minimum teacher salaries, this is his plan to improve the competitiveness of salaries for experienced, highly effective teachers. But to get their share of the increase, teachers will need to obtain a new advanced professional endorsement, which will place them in the first cell of the new advanced professional rung on the career ladder.

If passed, this bill would increase state funding for teacher salaries by $30 million for the 2020-2021 school year. By 2024-2025, the career ladder would pay the new state minimum of $41,000 for new teachers and $63,000 at the top of the advanced professional rung.

ARTICLES BY DEVIN WEEKS

Survivors to share testimonies Sept. 6 at Altar Church
August 24, 2025 1:09 a.m.

Survivors to share testimonies Sept. 6 at Altar Church

Survivors to share testimonies Sept. 6 at Altar Church

Survivors of horrific and tragic events will share their testimonies at 6 p.m. Sept. 6 during the "Journey of Forgiveness" event at the Altar Church. The panel includes Cara Kernodle, Sara Weaver and pastor Tim Remington.

North Idaho College hosts free kids dental services for ALICE families
August 23, 2025 1:08 a.m.

North Idaho College hosts free kids dental services for ALICE families

North Idaho College hosts free kids dental services for ALICE families

Going to the dentist can be scary for anyone, especially children. But 8-year-old Ruby Monreal was as fearless as she was friendly Wednesday morning as she walked into the North Idaho College Dental Hygiene Clinic, smiling, waving and ready for her cleaning. “I can handle a bunch of things, just not shots,” said Ruby, who wore a cute pair of periwinkle sunglasses to protect her eyes from the lights on NIC student Ashli Snyder's dental loupes.

Miles for Smiles cruise, car show Sept. 6
August 25, 2025 1:09 a.m.

Miles for Smiles cruise, car show Sept. 6

Classic car owners who wish to bring joy to others while supporting the Hayden Senior Center will have plenty of opportunities to do so Sept. 6 during the second Miles for Smiles Classic Car Cruise and Car Show.