Rural Teacher Salaries Not up to Par with South Dakota Goals

MITCHELL, S.D. (AP) — The average salary for teachers in South Dakota's rural school districts is projected to be well behind a state goal despite a new tax increase that's supposed to increase pay.

The Daily Republic reports that when Gov. Dennis Daugaard increased the sales tax by half-cent in March, the goal was to raise the average teacher salary in the state from $40,000 to $48,500.

School district numbers show that the average teacher salary in the region ranges from more than $39,000 to nearly $48,000 for the upcoming school year.

Bon Homme School District Superintendent Mike Elsberry says he believes rural school districts are at a disadvantage because salary increases are based on enrollment and student-teacher ratios. He says small fluctuations in these numbers are more noticeable at small districts than large ones.

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