SALT LAKE CITY — Governor Gary Herbert is pushing for more teachers and better salaries for them amid a statewide shortage. At a Wednesday press conference in Salt Lake City, the governor also made a plea for any teachers who may have left the profession early to come back.
According to the Associated Press, Gov. Herbert said he visited numerous schools around the state over the summer and wants to the state to recruit and keep the best and the brightest teachers.
At his press conference, the governor also spoke about various security measures schools have implemented and continue to explore to keep schools safe. On his state-wide tour he also spoke with administrators and school counselors to seek their advice about what else could be improved in the schools.
According to a joint study from the Utah State Board of Education and the Utah Education Policy Center, 47 percent of new teachers leave the profession after five years in the classroom.
That numbers rises to 56 percent after seven years.