A new report shows public school teachers in Indiana are netting an average take-home pay of $60,000 a year.
The report was released by the Indiana Education Employment Relations Board, a state agency that promotes cooperation between public school teachers and their school corporations.
The report shows 92 percent of public school teachers received an average base salary increase of nearly $3,340. Of Indiana's 304 public school corporations, 279 reported increasing teachers’ salaries.
Additionally, 40 percent of public schools provided one-time stipends for their teachers. Those stipends averaged $1,619.
Teacher pay in Indiana now ranges from $40,000 — which is the state’s minimum — to $110,000.
The average salary doesn't include teachers' total compensation packages – with things like health insurance and retirement contributions. Including those in the average brings it to a little less than $80,000 a year.
State officials say Indiana still needs to prioritize teacher pay. Rep. Ed DeLaney (D-Indianapolis) recently urged lawmakers to increase teachers’ basepay to $60,000 a year during the upcoming budget session.
READ MORE: Democratic lawmaker urges state to prioritize education funding
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Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jennifer McCormick proposed increasing teachers’ base salaries to $60,000 in her education plan. Mike Braun, the Republican gubernatorial candidate, also said teacher pay needs to increase, but his education plan didn’t specify a new base salary.
Most schools use state tuition support to pay their teachers. State funding is determined by a formula during the two-year budget cycle and disbursed monthly by the Indiana Department of Education.
Districts can also use additional tax money from operating referendums and some federal grants to supplement teacher pay. The report shows 287 corporations in Indiana use federal grants and 52 corporations use property tax referendums to boost teachers’ salaries.
Kirsten is our education reporter. Contact her at kadair@wfyi.org or follow her on Twitter at @kirsten_adair .
