A few weeks ago I signed the fiscal year 2007 budget into law, including measures to further the progress we've made in education, and to add new emphasis to making sure teachers have the skills they need, and the rewards they deserve.

Let's take a closer look at what we're doing.

Teacher Pay

We know that the most important influence in a child's life, next to parents, is the classroom teacher.  Yet, despite that responsibility, too many teachers in Arizona have been, for some time, underpaid. 

Through this year's budget, we're working to change that.  Working with the state legislature, we've achieved a new pay package for teachers.  Necessary and required contributions to teachers' retirement accounts went up this year; this budget provides the funds necessary to make sure those increased retirement costs don't reduce teachers' paychecks.  Further, it gives school districts statewide the dollars necessary to provide raises for all teachers.

There is stiff competition for teachers - particularly those with expertise and training in math and science.  My committee on Teacher Quality and Support pointed out the pay disparities between teachers and other professions.  Teachers can earn more in the private sector than we pay them to teach and so, often, once the financial pressures of family and home accumulate, they take their college degree and move on. 

To recruit, and more importantly, to retain excellent teachers, we must improve their working conditions. This includes addressing their salaries.  Otherwise, young teachers leave the profession or leave the state almost as soon as they begin. Others move often seeking a higher wage in another district. These moves take their toll on our small, rural and low wealth districts. While we have, by no means, completely solved the problem of teacher compensation, this year's budget is an excellent start and sends a strong signal that in Arizona we care about students enough to care about their teachers.     

But there is more to teacher excellence and retention than pay, and we are addressing that issue, as well.

Master Teacher Initiative

Life-long learning and career development is essential to maintaining a corps of outstanding teachers in Arizona.  We know that a teacher who is better trained, is more experienced and well-mentored will produce students who achieve more in school. 

This FY 2007 budget sets aside $1 million dollars for expansion of the Master Teacher program. 

In 2004, the Governor's Master Teachers Initiative was piloted and developed out of the Arizona K-12 Center at Northern Arizona University.  It began as an idea to recognize excellent teachers, reward their success and to give them additional responsibility to mentor new and struggling teachers.  It provides the incentives and career development needed to keep good teachers in the classroom while also providing the opportunity to accelerate the effectiveness of new teachers.  The goal is to retain new and mid-career teachers while improving student achievement. 

The combined emphasis on compensation and training is one of the best shots we have at finding and keeping excellent teachers in our Arizona schools.  As a result, it gives the children of Arizona an excellent shot at success.