Letter: New teachers should be given more options

Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2006 | 7:36 a.m.

I agree with those who say there is no direct correlation between teacher pay and student achievement. There is, however, a direct correlation among parental involvement, class size, teacher hiring and student learning.

The drain upon family income has dramatically increased during the past several decades. The primary cause is the personal demand for more and bigger things and dramatically increased salary competition from foreign labor. Two workers per family has become the norm.

This will not go away, at least not until a worldwide parity of living standard is achieved. These factors are not conducive to improving student achievement.

What, then, is the Clark County School District to do? While increased teacher salaries don't directly correlate to student improvement, better entry-level teachers can. The School District needs to attract better teachers and should move to a dual-pay scale system.

New teachers should be given a choice of entering the current salary and benefits system, or one that pays a much higher wage scale. Trading off the current defined benefit pension plan for higher pay and a defined contribution plan is one way to do this.

Increasing the starting salary of new teachers by $6,000 a year, a cost of less than $250 per student, would be more than offset by the reduction in defined benefit costs.

If the district wants choice, not chance, when hiring new teachers, it needs to find ways to attract those who will make a positive difference. More money up front is always a good start.

Richard Rychtarik

Las Vegas