Terrebonne schools hire more uncertified teachers


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HOUMA, La. (AP) — Superintendent Philip Martin says low teacher pay has forced the Terrebonne Parish school system to hire 80 non-certified teachers, which is more than last school year.

Martin says two non-certified instructors lead gifted classes.

School board member Gregory Harding says the system has non-certified teachers in the district and it doesn't mean they're not qualified.

Martin tells The Courier (http://bit.ly/1toxFS6 ) the school system struggles to attract new teachers because it can't compete with higher wages in neighboring parishes. He says the bigger problem is their inability to retain veteran teachers.

The parish's average teacher salary, $46,381 a year, ranks 47th in the state. Starter teaching salary in Terrebonne is $37,909, which also ranks in the bottom third of the state.

Parish teachers received a $500 one-time bonus last year and support workers got $250. The last state pay raise for teachers was awarded in 2008. The last locally funded pay raise, 2 percent for all school employees, was given in 2007.

Terrebonne's public school system has faced a $9 million decline in state revenue over the past five years. Sales tax revenue, however, has increased from about $44 million in 2009 to $49 million in 2012.

Declining revenue and increased required costs, such as state retirement programs, have forced the board to cut more than 500 employee positions over the past five years, as well as consolidate several schools.

Voters will have the opportunity to approve a half-cent sales tax on Dec. 6 to raise teacher and support staff salaries.

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Information from: The Courier, http://www.houmatoday.com

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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