Optimism is on the horizon for the prospect of raising teacher salaries in South Dakota. How soon we get to the destination is yet to be determined. The South Dakota Legislature developed the Blue Ribbon Task Force to address concerns about the teaching profession. Rob Monson of the School Administrators of South Dakota has been at all of the Task Force gatherings and seems hopeful that action will follow the talk.
Compensation ranks highest on the list of concerns of being able to recruit new teachers into the profession. Monson estimates that it would take about $100 million to bring salaries in line with regional standards.
October 1 in Pierre at the Capitol Visiting Center will be the next gathering for the panel. Another meeting is tentatively scheduled for October 29.