South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem is asking the Legislature to approve a 6% increase in funding for public school districts, which could pave the way for higher wages for teachers and support staff.
Loren Paul, president of the South Dakota Education Association, says schools still are struggling with a shortage of not only teachers, but also paraprofessionals, bus drivers, custodians and food workers. And now, he says, districts have to compete with other industries looking to boost pay to fill their vacant positions.
“And we’re still trying to hire somebody at $12 and $13 an hour, so this is really needed to get some of those wages up so we can compete.”
Paul says many schools are feeling budget pressure in other ways as well.
“The cost of natural gas is gonna go up, and that costs the school districts more and everything, so I mean they have other overheads to worry about.”
Even if the 6% increase is adopted by the state, school districts have discretion on whether to spend the money on wages or in other areas.
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