Davis Signs $2.4 Billion Package of Incentives to Ease Teacher Shortage

Gov. Gray Davis signed a group of education bills last week that are intended to improve student performance and ease California's teacher shortage.

More than $2.4 billion in incentives for teachers, students and school administrators, including higher starting pay and better benefits for educators, were signed by the governor.

"Now it can truly be said that California values teachers, and it can truly be said that if you want to teach, teach in California," Davis said. "Among the provisions in the bills are the best bonuses in America for teachers whose students show extraordinary improvement."

The state is trying to attract and keep quality teachers to meet its demand for 300,000 more teachers over the next decade and improve student test scores.

Davis initially sought to exempt teachers from California's income tax. Lawmakers rejected that proposal, saying it would set the stage for exemptions for other public employees.

The $2.4 billion in new incentives include:

-- Personal income tax credit of $250 to $1,500 for teachers, depending on the number of years of teaching service.

-- Block grants for low-performing schools to be used for teacher recruitment or retention at the schools' discretion.

-- Bonuses of $10,000 to National Board-certified teachers and $20,000 if those certified teachers agree to work at low-performance schools for four years.

-- Encouraging retired teachers to return to the classroom by suspending earning limitations for teachers who retired before Jan. 1, 2000.

-- Increasing the loan forgiveness program so 6,500 teachers can each have as much as $11,000 in student loans forgiven if they agree to teach in low-income schools or rural schools, or if they teach a subject matter that is in demand.

-- Spending $29.5 million to develop advanced-placement courses in every public school.

-- Providing $175 million to buy computers for high schools, $50 million for access to the Internet and $6.5 million to the California State University system to train teachers on instructional use of computers in the classroom.

-- Raising teachers' starting salaries from $32,000 to $34,000.

-- Spending $112 million to provide $1,000 merit scholarships for students who perform well on a statewide achievement test.

-- Increasing reimbursement rates for schools providing summer courses.

-- Allowing members of the State Teachers' Retirement System to have 2 percent of their earnings placed in a supplemental retirement account that will be available as a lump sum payment or an annuity upon retirement.

-- Providing $1.84 billion for cost- of-living increases that were not granted in previous years and an additional $1.1 billion for a 3.17 percent cost-of-living increase for this year.

	This article was originally published by The San Francisco Chronicle on July 5, 2000 © 2000 The San Francisco Chronicle Related Links New Reform Wave Focuses on Teacher Quality

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