Guinn’s proposal would give some teachers $5,000 bonuses

Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2003 | 11:23 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Some schoolteachers could earn $5,000 a year in bonuses under the education budget submitted by Gov. Kenny Guinn to the Legislature.

State education officials outlined the governor's proposal today to the legislative budget committees that are getting their first look at the planned two-year spending program.

Guinn has recommended there be an annual $3,000 stipend for teachers in hard-to-fill fields such as special education, math, English as a second language and psychologists. And he has put money aside for an extra $2,000 for teachers who work in high-risk schools.

Douglas Thunder, deputy superintendent of public instruction for finance, said the teachers would be able to collect both.

Thunder estimated that 2,843 teachers would be eligible for the $3,000 bonus next year in the "hard to fill" category. And there would be 3,873 teachers at "at risk" schools, eligible for the $2,000 bonus.

This is the first time both have been included in the executive budget.

The governor is recommending close to $2 billion for local school districts, an increase next year of 6.5 percent and 4.5 percent in the following fiscal year. The basic support per student would rise from $3,991 this year to $4,259 next fiscal year and $4,291 in fiscal 2005.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Raggio, R-Reno, also asked state education officials to look at the possibility of allowing private transportation companies to replace the school bus program. He said it has worked in other states.

In light of the budget problems, Raggio said, the Legislature would be "derelict if we don't look into it. It's a major, major cost."

Thunder estimated that $256 per student per year is spent on the school bus program. Raggio said he knew there was reluctance on the part of school districts to change that because it affects many people.

Assemblywoman Chris Giunchigliani, D-Las Vegas, a former Clark County schoolteacher, said there is a law that permits students to use public transportation. A pilot program scheduled to begin at Valley High School next month would give students a free Citizen Area Transit pass instead of school bus service. Rancho High School was pulled from the pilot after parents complained.

Giunchigliani said she didn't like the way it was started in Clark County but that many high school students use the city bus system.

Giunchigliani said the program was aimed at reducing the amount of new buses that had to be purchased and focused on providing extended routes on school buses for younger students.

Thunder also told the budget committees that the governor has set aside money to cover a 10 percent increase each year in the health insurance premiums for schoolteachers.

The budget includes a 2 percent raise for all school employees on July 1. School employees were promised a 4 percent raise effective last July, but money woes cut that to 2 percent.

Sen. Sandra Tiffany, R-Henderson, said the salaries of custodians in the school district, who also get the 2 percent raise, outstrip the pay in the private sector. She was told that the extra pay for the nonteachers could be eliminated from the budget.