Rewarding Our Dedicated Teachers

REWARDING OUR DEDICATED TEACHERS
Weekly Column
by Senator Susan M. Collins

In spite of tight school budgets and their own modest salaries, many of our nation's teachers open their wallets to purchase school supplies to give their students the best education possible. According to a recent report from Quality Education Data, the average teacher spends more than $520 a year out-of-pocket on school supplies.

I have spoken to many teachers in Maine who have described the books, supplies, and other materials they routinely purchase for their students. Idella Harter, a veteran elementary school teacher in Auburn, told me of reaching deep into her pocket to buy materials, supplies, and other treats for her students. At the end of one year, she started to add up all of the receipts that she had saved and was startled to discover they exceeded $1,000. Idella told me at that point she decided she'd better stop counting.

Tyler Nutter, a middle school math and reading teacher from North Berwick, is a relatively new recruit to the profession. After teaching for just three years, Tyler has incurred substantial "startup" fees as he builds his own collection of needed teaching supplies. He has spent well over $500 out-of-pocket each year, purchasing books and other materials that are essential to his teaching program. Tyler tells me that he is still paying off the loans that he incurred at the University of Maine-Farmington. He has car payments to make. He is saving for a house and his upcoming wedding. And he someday hopes to get an advanced degree. Nevertheless, despite the relatively low pay he is receiving as a new teacher, he says, "You feel committed to getting your students what they need, even if it is coming out of your own pocket."

That is the kind of dedication that I see time and again from our teachers. I have visited nearly 100 schools in Maine, and everywhere I go, teachers are spending their own money to improve their professional qualifications and to improve the educational experiences of their students by supplementing classroom supplies. As President Bush aptly put it, "Teachers sometimes lead with their hearts and pay with their wallets."

That is why I recently introduced the Teacher Tax Relief Act of 2003, which builds on a law I wrote last year that for two years gives a $250 above-the-line tax deduction to teachers who spend their own money on classroom materials. Teachers are already taking advantage of that deduction. My new legislation, however, would double the amount that a teacher can deduct - from $250 to $500 - and it would make this modest tax relief permanent. Furthermore, my bill would include professional development expenses in the deduction, an important benefit that will help improve teaching in schools throughout the country.

Educational researchers have demonstrated, time and again, the strong correlation between qualified teachers and successful students. A recent survey by the National Center for Education Statistics found that most teachers who had participated in more than eight hours of professional development during the previous year felt "very well prepared" in the area in which the instruction occurred. Obviously, teachers who are taking additional course work and pursuing advanced degrees become even more valuable in the classroom.

The educators themselves understand just how important professional development is to maintaining and expanding their level of competence. When I meet with teachers from Maine, they repeatedly tell me of their desire and need for more professional development. But they also tell me that, unfortunately, school budgets are so tight that frequently the school districts cannot provide the assistance a teacher needs in order to take that additional course or pursue that advanced degree. My legislation will encourage our teachers as they take those extra steps to improve their classroom work.

The Teacher Tax Relief Act of 2003 provides financial assistance to educators, but its ultimate beneficiaries will be our students. Besides involved parents, a well qualified teacher is the single most important prerequisite for student success. The tax relief we passed overwhelmingly in the last Congress will help us make up the debt we owe our dedicated teachers, and the legislation I have introduced this year will further encourage our teachers to go the extra mile. As Tyler Nutter told me, "It's a nice recognition of the contributions that many teachers have made."