Good to see Georgia doing something sensible re. teacher comp.  Now how about every other state!?

Perdue signs math, science bill

11:51 am April 22, 2009, by Aaron Gould Sheinin

A robot delivered Gov. Sonny Perdue the official copy of House Bill 280, which Perdue promptly signed into law to grant the state’s math and science teachers higher pay. 

The robots that frolicked in the Capitol’s north wing were created by Georgia students for a robotics competition this past weekend at the Georgia Dome. Those creations, Perdue said, are indicative of the need for the bill. 

HB 280 would encourage would-be educators to choose math and science tracks in college by automatically granting new teachers the pay-grade of a fifth-year instructor. Any current math and science teacher would likewise see a pay raise. 

The state has faced a shortage of qualified math and science teachers emerging from colleges. In 2007-2008, he said, Georgia produced 2,000 early childhood teachers but only one to teach physics, nine in chemistry and 140 in math.