MISSOURI TEACHERS GET BOOST IN PENSION PLAN

Two national teachers unions announced the results of their own recent salary surveys showing that pay increases for teachers nationwide have been modest. This was certainly no surprise

An American Federation of Teachers survey showed the average salary for 1999-2000 was $41,820, up 3.2 percent from the previous year but short of the 3.4 percent rise in inflation. States paying the most were New York, New Jersey, Michigan and Pennsylvania (between $48,000 and $52,000 on average). The lowest was the $29,072 average wage in South Dakota.

And the National Education Association's surveys showed teachers' salaries in half the states actually dropped over the last decade when adjusted for inflation.

The surveys were based on figures from state education departments.

Missouri didn't make the NEA's list of states with the largest drop in real earnings. They were West Virginia, Arkansas and Alabama.

And Missouri didn't make either unions' lists of states with the lowest average pay for teachers. They were Montana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, North Dakota and South Dakota.

In fact, as the survey information was being released, Missouri lawmakers were approving an attractive boost in the pension plan for this state's teachers.

Public school teachers don't pay Social Security taxes and thus don't get those benefits.

But, if they stay in the system long enough, they'll receive something much better.

Under a retirement package passed by the Missouri House and Senate last session, public school teachers will receive as a pension 79 percent of the average of their final three years' salary, up from 75 percent, if they stay on the job more than 30 years.

The bill was created to remedy overly successful 1995 legislation providing incentives to get burned-out teachers out of Missouri classrooms by letting them retire after 25 years with a portion of their benefits.

Sponsors admit that the $595 million package is expensive but say it's worth it.

"It is costly but it's effective," said state Rep. Mary Hagan-Harrel of Ferguson.

Of course, Cape Girardeau school administrators have concerns about retaining teachers who aren't near retirement. They would like to do so with a tax increase to provide better starting salaries and a decent raise for working teachers. That's understandable.

But, thankfully, Missouri seems to be holding its own in the matter.