Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Arkansas School Converts Utilities Savings to Teacher Raises

  • By Matt Jones
  • 03/30/21

The Batesville School District in Batesville, Ark., isn’t the first school district to save money on utilities by switching to solar power. It may, however, be the among the first to pass those savings directly to teachers.

In 2017, Batesville High School installed hundreds of solar panels into an unused field behind the school. It also installed a solar canopy spanning across the entire front of the building for a total of about 1,500 panels. This source of solar power has saved the district more than $600,000 in utilities costs. It also converted the district’s annual budget deficit of roughly $250,000 into a $1.8 million surplus, and the district is on track to save a minimum of $2.4 million during the next 20 years.

The district’s average teacher salary previously ranked second-to-last in that region of the state, with an average of about $45,000. Superintendent Michael Hester said he was losing teachers and having trouble hiring new ones. “People aren’t in this business, obviously, for the money,” he said, “but they should not have a vow of poverty to teach, either.”

The district chose to funnel its financial savings into its greatest resource: teachers. The district has offered bonuses two years in a row and raised teachers’ salaries by up to $15,000 each, making it one of the best-paying districts in the county.

“Let’s use that money to start pumping up teachers’ salaries,” said Hester. “It’s the way we’re going to attract and retain staff. And it’s the way we’re going to attract and retain students in this day and age of school choice.”

Jeanne Roepcke, a teacher in the Batesville School District who received a significant raise, is understandably elated. “No, it would not have been one of the things that I thought,” she said. “But, what a great idea. The sun is going to be shining anyway, so why not cash in on that? It’s good to know that they care about us. It feels really, really good.”

About 7,300 schools around the country use some form of solar power, up 81% in the last five years.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Myrtle Grove Elementary

    Phased Construction Keeps Students on Campus During Rebuild

    When Escambia County School District needed to replace most of Myrtle Grove Elementary School in Pensacola, Fla., it had three distinct challenges: honor the school's legacy in the community, bring state-of-the-art learning environments to the county, and be seamlessly built on the same site as the active school campus.

  • Texas A&M Opens First Building at Fort Worth Campus, Breaks Ground on Research Facility

    The Texas A&M University System marked a major milestone in the development of its Fort Worth campus by opening its first completed academic building and breaking ground on a second facility designed to expand research and industry collaboration.

  • TCU Marks Campus Expansion Milestone

    Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas, recently held a topping-out ceremony to mark progress on a major campus expansion effort including four new residential facilities and a five-story parking garage, according to a news release.

  • Back-to-School Playground Safety: 7 Common Hazards to Look for After Summer Break

    As summer break comes to an end, school administrators have plenty to prepare before students return. While classrooms, hallways and common areas often receive attention during all the back-to-school preparations, the playground should not be overlooked. Months of weather exposure, storms, and regular wear can leave behind hazards that may not be immediately noticeable.