Key legislator says higher salaries might not be best for all districts

A key state Senator says raising Iowa’s minimum salary for teachers won’t be her top priority as legislators craft a teacher pay package. Nancy Boettger, a republican from Harlan, will become chair of the Senate Education Committee in January.Boettger’s not inclined to dramatically raise the state-mandated “minimum salary” for teachers because she believes rural schools can’t afford the move. She says they have smaller tax bases and smaller classes.Boettger says her focus will be on changing the way teachers are paid, by rewarding classroom performance rather than longevity and paying high-demand math and science teachers more.