Pay Index Change Could Hurt TCSD

The Wyoming Legislature’s Education Committee begins a two day meeting today in Cheyenne prior to the full legislature’s so-called “short session.”  Among the items to be considered for introduction during the session is the Hedonic Index which Representative Keith Gingery says greatly impacts Teton County schools. Gingery explains that there is a move afoot to change how we figure the regional cost of living for school districts.  Gingery says if we change that formula in the way they are discussing; it could spell as much as a three-point-eight million dollar loss for Teton County Schools. Gingery explains that a scholarly work maintains that the valley’s aesthetic values would attract new teachers who are willing to work for less just to live here.  Gingery says after the first year, teachers would not want to stay around and put down roots with no incentive of financial growth, and so the faculty would become a revolving door.  Without an incentive to stay, Gingery says, the district would find itself less likely to have the tenured, experienced teachers on staff it now enjoys.  Gingery says what will make the proposal more difficult to argue is that Governor Mead recently spoke in support of the index.