Gov. says it won’t increase teachers’ salaries ‘appreciably’

INDIANAPOLIS – First-term Governor Eric Holcomb strode to the stage in full damage control mode on Wednesday, working to clean up a sloppy rollout of his agenda. That agenda included a vague promise to raise Hoosier educators’ pay. But Holcomb fumbled again, this time dismantling the theory that adding funding to the overall education budget raises pay. The only problem? That’s his plan to raise teachers’ pay.

From the Times of Northwest Indiana Holcomb promises Indiana teachers will see ‘significant’ pay hikes, but it may take years

“…Holcomb reiterated that he favors the Republican-controlled General Assembly next year increasing overall state support for elementary and high school education, a position he claims has been “somewhat mischaracterized in the last few days.”

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Regardless, Holcomb admitted that growing overall education spending has little impact on how much teachers are paid by local school corporations.

“We increase tuition support in nearly every budget, and teacher salaries don’t increase appreciably,” he said.”

It’s not every day a governor takes to the microphone and sinks his own plan. If you think Holcomb’s teacher pay policies look half-baked, Indiana Democratic Party Chairman John Zody believed you’re not alone.

“No carefully crafted statement or speech can spin the fact that Governor Holcomb’s stopgap won’t significantly raise hardworking teachers’ pay,” said Zody. “Now, even Governor Holcomb agrees. Indiana’s teacher shortage is no new crisis, but Holcomb looks woefully unprepared and without a real vision to see our state through it.”

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