The Legislature hasn’t come up with the money to sustain the 2016 Blue Ribbon plan to raise South Dakota’s teacher pay from the bottom to the top of the national basement, but a few legislators want to raise the salary bar that schools must meet to keep their state funding.
House Bill 1128, led by Rep. Dan Ahlers (D-25/Dell Rapids) and co-sponsored by six Democrats and five Republicans, changes the accountability standards that continge full state funding on school districts’ progress in reaching the statewide target salary for teachers. Current statute says that if schools let their average teacher compensation drop below the previous year’s average, they lose $500 in state aid per teacher in the district. HB 1128 changes that standard to a more complicated formula, demanding that schools increase their average compensation each year by at least 85% of the change in the statutory statewide target teacher salary.
So suppose you’re Aberdeen. The Department of Education says managed in FY2017 to compensate teachers an average of $61,769 (that’s salary and benefits). Current law says that Aberdeen stays out of dutch if it manages any increase or just holds steady. HB 1128 says Aberdeen has to boost average compensation by $128. Across just about 300 FTEs districtwide, that’s about $47,000.
I base that calculation on the $145.50 boost the Governor has proposed for the target teacher salary in HB 1056. That’s 0.3%. Multiply that by the 85% in HB 1128, and that’s 0.255%. Add 1, multiply that by the current teacher compensation, and there’s the higher threshold HB 1128 would demand each school reach.
HB 1128 raises the average bar least for Rutland, by only $111 per teacher. The highest increases would be in Yankton, Douglas, Eagle Butte, Oglala Lakota, and Sioux Falls, each of which would have to come up with more than $170 more per teacher. All together, school districts would have to put another $1.5 million toward teacher compensation (again, pay and benefits) for everyone to meet the new HB 1128 requirement.
And I’m sure the Legislature will make that possible by adding $1.5 million to K-12 aid… right?
Just as the state came up with the money from our extra sales tax, oh yes the lottery money, where did that go?
Republicans Mickelson and Lust are saying “there is no rationale for union representation [to negotiate wage and benefit increases, in that instance] in SD anymore” and “the legislature should vote itself raises since they haven’t received them since 1996”, respectively. Its just sooo burdensome, this 2 month job. Perks? Per diems? Two month long paid social hour?
They make it difficult for the common person to vote and find any semblance of job security–yet republican elected cronies surely abuse their power for self serving reasons without any ethical restraits to speak of, effectively.
So if I understand correctly, South Dakota has the 14th highest tax rate for low income families, and the 2nd lowest tax rate for high income families. And the best solution we had for the problem of low teacher pay is to raise the sales tax. This creates a heavier burden on low and middle income (i.e. teachers) families. We have the 2nd lowest effective tax rate in the country for millionaires, and some of the lowest paid teachers. The increase in sales tax doesn’t fix the problem, it was just more of the same strategy that got us into this mess. If we want to compete with surrounding States to hire and retain teachers (which is an excellent idea) maybe we should look at how they’re doing it. Minnesota looks like a good place to start. If we fix the underlying problem of an unfair and unsustainable tax system our economy will grow along with surrounding states. Then we can retain and hire quality teachers. The current strategy just guarantees another sales tax increase will be needed very soon, or a cut in services that will primarily effect low income families. I’m betting the South Dakota legislature & governor will choose one of these options this year.
https://itep.org/south-dakota-is-a-low-tax-state-overall-but-not-for-families-living-in-poverty/
Excellent article, Nick. ITEP offered that analysis in 2013, and that was before we raised the sales tax to fund our teacher pay raises. We need to raise teacher pay even further to compete with surrounding states, but we need to reform our tax structure so we don’t break the backs of our low-income families to get there.
Leslie…as a former state legislator, I want to respond to your comment. You are correct in saying that the state legislators have not had a pay raise since 1996. However 6,000.00 per session doesn’t cover the cost of doing the job in the best possible way. It’s more than a 2 month job, as you stated. We are still state legislators even when we are not in Pierre, and still have a job to do when we are not in committee meetings. While in Pierre, we have to pay for lodging, there are no discounts for that and last time I was there in 2012, it took $5,000.00 of the $6,000.00 in pay.
The perks consist of a coffee cup and a coaster or some other item, from some group, organization or business that want to take the time to offer appreciation to the legislators as well as a few dinners while in session, the per diem reimburses for the cost of fuel to travel between home and Pierre as well as other political business within the legislative districts. My old district was 110 miles east to west. There’s a lot of roads to travel.
Trust me, there’s not much left to say you got paid for the job you do.
Would you be willing to work at a job that the pay never raised and most times took other financial sources to complete the job? I don’t know anyone that would work a job for 22 years without a pay raise or to accept a job knowing that a pay raise in time is unlikely.
Your state legislators do the job because they hold the state in high regards, because they care about what the people experience everyday and want to try to make a difference, to make life a little easier. Because they hold a love for the job, the state and the people. When the legislators are fighting over bills, they are fighting for you!
If you are not satisfied with the job your district legislator does then make your voice clear at the polls.
There are many state legislators that go beyond the 2 month time in Pierre and deserve to be compensated for the job that they do.
I find it very insulting that you referred to the work the state legislators do as a “2 month party.” This party is a highly stressful, constantly on the move, constantly thinking, fighting the occasional monkey on your back, environment.
It’s not as easy or laid back or fun-filled as you seem to think that it is. It’s honest, dig your heels in and do the best possible job that you can do on behalf of the state and the people.
Want to experience a day in Pierre as a legislator? Run for office, get a in-your-face view of what actually occurs and experience the party!
As for teachers pay….our neighbors to the west pay their teachers $58,000……our neighbors to the north pay their teachers $50,000…..South Dakota teachers, like state legislator, are not fairly or equally compensated. We can do better!
123 bucks per day per diem plus 6000 bucks for 2 months of work?
123 bucks per day looks nice when compared to my SS per diem
of 26 bucks and 89 cents with no other benefits.
Just saying.
As an aside, can I trust you are not one of those pols that claim teachers only work 9 months of the year?
Patricia. I am sure you are correct sometimes. I will spend more time thinking about your response. Later.
How do we know which legislators exercise ethics? The lock the GOP has on the state, state jobs, state contracts, and state opportunities, not to mention values, is just about like gerrymandered districts. Rank politics.
I have filled in for legislators in their day jobs. I have been to Pierre.
Do you have a response related to Lust’s bashing Wismer over the Wealth Industry serving bill in the hopper?
A membership and service to a party that openly obstructs voter rights doesn’t strike me as “trying to make a difference, to make life a little easier. Because they hold a love for the job, the state and the people.”
I am an active member of the Democratic party since before 2012 and a lifetime Democrat, born and raised, trying to unseat republican state legislators and national congressional members. Their lack of any ethical stance, in large part, is breathtaking and threatening the state, the nation and the world.
Sorry to say but most Americans don’t ever get pay raises and benefits, if they can maintain job security at all. You chose the job knowing the constraints on pay. The job as citizen legislator is not intended to be multi-termed. Low state congressional pay has its historical reasons. There are other reasons people like Lust may have.
Start with Chief Justice Gorsuch’s unconstitutional appointment. That and the gerrymander reference, say everything. https://www.cnn.com/2018/01/09/politics/north-carolina-gerrymandering-case/index.html
EB5 and MCEC are startling examples of republican cronyism and lack of enforcement of the law, locally.
Never ate a free lunch in session in or around the Capitol? I have. State government service in a tiny state for the party in power is a fast track to the top, in many cases.
Thank you Patricia.
Leslie, how do we know which legislators exercise ethics? The choices they make, the decisions they make and how they conduct themselves in public are clear indicators. Pay attention to the bills they author, not necessarily co-sponsor. If they are not within the boundaries you have decided are clear as far as ethics go, vote them out. Confront them. Talk to them. As a constituent, you have the right to critique your legislative body.
I would be very careful not to include state politics with national politics, even though sometimes I know that D.C. does have influence over state legislators and the bills they introduce.
Low state legislative pay may have it’s reasons, but I think 22 years without a pay raise is a bit unreasonable.
Do you think that its acceptable for waiters/waitresses to make what was considered minimum wage in 1994? $4.75 (ish) and depending on tips to compensate. Sadly, not everyone leaves a tip.
True, there are problems that need fixed when it comes to fair pay for many occupations and jobs. But I will never be able to accept two decades without a pay raise for anyone.
Maintaining job security depends on the employee and the effort they put into the job. I spent 10 years off and on in the retail business. As a manager I was appalled by the lack of work ethics of the people I hired. Sure, they could answer the questions during an interview, but once it got down to doing the job it was disappointing at most. The biggest problem I had to deal with was employees stealing merchandise or telling me “no” when they were given a task to complete.
I know that in some districts in South Dakota, interim legislators go back unopposed because no one will step up to run. Without candidates, you end up with “multi-termed” legislators.
“Do you have a response related to Lust’s bashing Wismer over the Wealth Industry serving bill in the hopper? ” I am sorry, but I do not have a response to this. I wasn’t there to hear the context of the conversation so it would be a bit foolish to respond without knowing what exactly was said and not relayed 2nd or 3rd party.
Cronyism, nepotism, malfeasance, misappropriation, favoritism, etc. unfortunately is found at different levels in varying degrees in various environments, governmental and non-governmental, business and non-business. In other words, corruption is a particular ( and one could say perverted) state society relation. It is always wrong when political decision-makers who are entitled to make and enforce the laws in the name of the people, are themselves corrupt. Some may say that a certain degree of corruption is a good thing because it can smooth rigid bureaucratic systems and help get things done. (ease the squeaky wheel, so to speak)
To suggest that things would change with a political party change is ridiculous! It’s a people thing, not a party thing.
Ms. Shiery, you can tell by looking at them and listening to them.
Mr. mike, I realize you are from Iowa but where does this $123 per day come from? Check your French math, sir.
We’re far afield from the topic of requiring districts to raise teacher pay even more without a funding mechanism, but to answer Grudz’s question, $123 is the per diem set by statute, SDCL 2-4-2.