South Dakota ranks 49th in the nation for average teacher salaries, highlighting the financial challenges faced by teachers in the state.
As school districts deal with rising costs, a panel is investigating the allocation of state money within the education system.
Despite consecutive years of six and seven percent cost of living increases for education, financial stress remains a concern for schools due to various factors such as health insurance plan hikes, increased natural gas costs, and the competition for staff.
At a recent meeting of the Teacher Compensation Review Board, Aberdeen superintendent Becky Guffin discussed the various financial challenges her district faces.
The board aims to determine the portion of state money dedicated to teacher salaries versus operational costs, and their recommendations will be presented to the governor and lawmakers in the upcoming session.
Sioux Falls state Sen. Reynold Nesiba emphasized the need to adjust the target pay number for inflation since the 2016 half-penny tax increase aimed at enhancing teacher pay.
The board unanimously approved this recommendation, with their next meeting scheduled for September 15th.