PSS can only offer “uncompetitive” salaries for these positions.
Acting Education Commissioner Craig Garrison on Friday said a speech pathologist in the states, for example, gets over $75,000 compared to $30,000 that PSS offers.
Garrison said in their vacancy announcements, they will point out the CNMI’s more generous tax law and the cost of living here compared to the states.
“If applicants will just look at the existing tax bracket and cost of living here and in California, for instance, they may probably realize that the difference in amount is not that significant,” Garrison said.
Because changing the salary schedule for new teachers is a lengthy process that requires legislation, BOE’s fiscal and personnel affairs committee hopes to offer an incentive package using certain federal grants.
PSS is offering its own “incentives” to applicants for hard-to-fill post on Rota and Tinian.
These may have to be restructured by the board due to the “not-so-positive” results.
“The additional incentives that will come from the federal funds will be packaged during the recruitment,” Garrison said.
The committee will determine how many teachers may get the incentives and how much will it cost PSS.
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