Teachers Skeptical of New Pay Scale

Sumner County teachers are skeptical about a new pay plan adopted by the State Board of Education and suspect it could mean lower lifetime earnings, especially with the current makeup of the Sumner County Commission. 

The plan changes the state's mandatory minimum teacher pay and would allow districts to keep the pay of some teachers stagnant for years.  While no teacher will make less than they do in the 2013-14 school year, there's no requirement that they ever make more, either. 

The state has suggested that districts differentiate teacher pay -- based on either test scores or hard to fill positions.  However, the state has provided zero new dollars to districts to assist them in boosting teacher pay. 

Sumner County's teachers are among the lowest-paid in middle Tennessee and starting salaries in Sumner lag some $6,000+ behind those in neighboring Davidson County. 

In recent years, the Sumner County Commission has balked at efforts to fund the School Board's budgets.  This has some teachers worried that the Commission will use the new pay scale as a way to demand that the Board not increase salaries.  In the past, the Board justified raises by noting that the state required certain increases for teachers.  Now, that argument is off the table. 

Fortunately, Board Chair Ted Wise has indicated he wants to see Sumner teacher salaries remain competitive. 

The Board will be tasked with developing a new pay scale in the coming months so that it may be approved the State Board and implemented in 2014-15.