Indiana’s elected officials often boast that the state’s fiscal ratings and business-friendly environment are envied by other states.
That’s probably so.
For many average Hoosiers, especially those living far beyond Indianapolis’ affluent rim counties, those boasts aren’t so relevant, though. It’s not as easy to see tangible evidence of the touted economic vitality where they live. A more meaningful sign of a thriving Indiana economy would be strong, well-funded public schools in their communities. The cornerstones of a healthy local school district are its teachers. And, it takes competitive pay to keep talented teachers in those classrooms.
Indiana would really distinguish itself if state leaders bragged about Hoosier teachers’ attractive pay scale.
That’s not realistic, right now.
In a Tribune-Star interview earlier this month, Gov. Eric Holcomb restated his goal of lifting Hoosier teachers’ average salaries to $60,000 year and, perhaps most importantly, lifting starting salaries to $40,000. “I’m passionate about this topic,” he said. “I just think the facts are the facts.”
The governor’s own Next Level Teacher Compensation Commission’s report, released last month nearly two years after he formed the panel, concluded it would require an additional $600 million investment annually to reach the $60,000 average. That would be a big change. In 2019, a Rockefeller Institute report ranked Indiana teachers last in the nation for salary growth since 2002. Indiana teachers averaged a $51,000 annual salary in 2019.
“What is certain, what is factual is, we have fallen behind over the years,” Holcomb said. “The Teachers Compensation report lays it all out.”
The commission compiled 37 ideas for the state and local governments to cut costs, increase revenue and, thus, put that toward teacher pay raises.
Those suggestions include raising state income taxes, a statewide referendum, per-parcel property fees or another funding source, CNHI reported last month.
Many cost-reduction policies are already in place in some districts, former state superintendent of public instruction Jennifer McCormick said in a statement last month.
Now, the Indiana General Assembly is considering Holcomb’s recommendations on education funding. Those include a $377-million increase in K-through-12 funding for the next two years, bumps of 2% the first year and 1% the next. A $400-million down payment on the teacher pension fund debt also could theoretically free up local school districts to increase teachers’ pay.
“I’m adamant that we need to make progress this session, and that we’re in a position to do that,” Holcomb said of education funding in general, and teacher pay increases specifically. “And, I’ll be looking for help along the way.”
When asked if he thought his own Republican Party’s legislators — who dominate the General Assembly — also want to see teachers earn an average of $60,000, Holcomb said, “I do.” He cited the need to ensure more school funding “gets into teachers’ paychecks,” and pointed out that contracts are locally bargained.
Teachers groups want more direct funding from the state legislature for teachers salaries right away. Otherwise, many gifted young teachers may leave the profession for more lucrative jobs once the pandemic eases and the economy revives.
McCormick also called on the Legislature to step up. “As we enter the 2021 Indiana General Assembly legislative session, Hoosier educators look forward to the additional state funding and state-level policy actions necessary in order for teacher compensation to truly move forward,” she said in her statement last month.
Those teacher advocates aren’t alone.
Fifty-five percent of Hoosiers believe teacher pay should be increased, and that the General Assembly should be responsible for providing the funding, according to the 2020 Hoosier Survey, an annual poll of residents on prime issues, conducted by Ball State University’s Bowen Center for Public Affairs. Only 20% of folks responding thought local school districts should use their existing funds to cover teacher pay raises.
The survey was conducted in November. So, the 600 respondents also were obviously aware that there’s a COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic going on. Heaven knows that teachers are aware of it. They’ve dealt with shifting schedules, and toggling between in-person and remote learning — which they’ve learned on the fly, along with kids and families — through COVID-19.
In his State of the State address this week, Holcomb said Indiana’s “foundation has held strong” through the pandemic.
“I don’t know how many other states in America have a Triple-A credit rating and are expected to finish the year with over $2 billion in reserves, and that experienced an all-time record of new job commitments last year during a global pandemic, like Indiana did,” Holcomb said Tuesday, “but it can’t be many.”
It would seem, then, that Indiana is capable of climbing out of the Midwest’s cellar for teacher pay, too.
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