News Releases

For Immediate Release - September 11, 2000
Contact:
Anastasia Burton, Press Secretary (406) 444-5523
Erik Burke, Education Policy Advisor (406) 444-3111

Governor's Task Force On Teacher Shortages/Salaries Submits Recommendations To Governor Racicot

(Helena) -- During a briefing in the Governor's Office today, the Governor's Task Force on Teacher Shortages/Salaries submitted a final report and set of recommendations to Governor Racicot to address Montana's projected teacher shortages. Concluding that "a teacher shortage does, in fact, exist in Montana," the task force report outlines a variety of state policy proposals aimed at mitigating the current demand for qualified teachers in Montana.

Specifically, the task force recommends that the state of Montana:

• Provide adequate increases in Montana's basic district and per-pupil entitlements
• Allow additional flexibility in district utilization of existing school revenue sources and funds
• Fund $500 salary increases for all teachers in Montana
• Institute a legislative study of Montana's school finance formula which better takes into account the necessity of providing competitive salaries for educators
• Implement a state funded mentoring and induction program
• Create targeted scholarship and loan repayment plans for teachers in high demand fields or positions
• Award state-funded professional stipends to National Board Certified teachers
• Increase the retirement benefit multiplier to 2% for TRS members who retire with 30 or more years of service
• Institute a state tax credit for teachers who lose income from relocations
• Encourage local school districts to enhance teacher access to district and community resources; and
• Support local districts in efforts to increase non-salary professional incentives, opportunities, and options.

Governor Racicot appointed the 12 member Task Force on Teacher Shortage/Salaries in April of this year. Since then, the task force has met three times and has engaged in a series of discussions related to the causes and potential solutions of Montana's current and projected teacher shortages. Governor Racicot expressed his appreciation of the task force's work and stated his desire to "reach as far as possible to implement several of the recommendations outlined today."

The Governor also expressed his interest in several task force findings that point to salaries, an aging teaching population, and Montana's remoteness as causal factors behind Montana's current teacher shortage. "Clearly, Montana has significant hurdles that must be overcome if we are to compete in an increasingly competitive market for competent, qualified educators," he observed.

In addition to salaries, retirements, and remoteness, the report points to a number of other factors that contributed to the current decline in available educators in Montana. They include:

• Lack of induction and mentoring programs for beginning teachers
• Recruitment efforts of other states and districts
• Retirement and post-retirement employment options for educators
• Immense workloads and preparations due to small school settings; and
• Working conditions and other factors affecting daily teaching

In the next several weeks, Governor Racicot will determine which, if any, of the task force's recommendations he will submit as a part of his administration's proposed budget for the 2002-2003 biennium.

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