Editorial: An idea worth considering

Tuesday, July 11, 2006 | 7:30 a.m.

Good, experienced teachers are the best chance our children have of doing well in school. But for the past few years it has been hard to attract and retain teachers in Clark County. This is due in no small part to the fact that the teachers' ordinary salaries are not qualifying for mortgages in this time of extraordinary housing prices.

Moderate salary increases and bonuses for starting teachers, plus a local-government loan program for teachers in specialty fields at certain schools, are programs in place. Yet they are not enough to end the shortfall of teachers experienced annually by the Clark County School District.

More is needed, and district administrators are now studying the possibility of converting lots in the Las Vegas Valley into subsidized teacher housing. The Clark County School Board will discuss the concept at its meeting on Thursday.

While the details are not yet established, the general idea is one that we believe is worth considering. If at least starter homes were within reach of teachers, we would likely disagree with the idea. But living conditions have changed here, and the district is right to be changing with them. Teachers are too important for the community to dismiss any idea that might enable them to live here and contribute to an improved educational environment.