SCHOOLS Ky. teachers lured by higher pay in Ohio

One district loses 10 to 20 teachers a year to Ohio schools.
UNION, Ky. (AP) -- Public school teachers in Kentucky are starting to cross the Ohio River for comparable jobs that offer higher pay and better benefits.
Cincinnati teachers make about 29 percent more than their Kentucky counterparts and pay about $350 a month less for family heath coverage. The results are predictable.
Ryle High School in Union has lost three science teachers in two years. Beechwood High in Fort Mitchell has gone through five band directors since 1996, three of whom now teach in Ohio.
Superintendents in northern Kentucky say they're more worried than ever about the potential for exodus.
Last month, an uproar over possible cuts in health benefits led to a day of protest, with four school districts canceling classes. Hundreds of teachers attended rallies, some carrying signs that said, "Hey Ohio, are you hiring?"
Going to Ohio
Boone County Superintendent Bryan Blavatt said he loses 10 or 20 teachers a year to better-paying jobs in Ohio.
In one memorable case, the district paid for a top-notch English instructor to become nationally board-certified. Then she left for an Ohio school, taking her training with her.
"That one killed me," Blavatt said.
Still, 20 teachers a year represents just 2 percent of Boone's total. Comfort with a familiar situation might be keeping others from leaving.
"One of the major things that prevents me is just the traffic," said Randy Wilson, a science teacher who lives near his school, Boone County High. "Saving an hour or 45 minutes to work each day -- that's worth something to me."
Wage discrepancy
Also, salaries in Northern Kentucky aren't bad for beginning teachers, who may not realize the wage discrepancy until later.
On average, first-year teachers earn $29,714, only 9 percent below those in Cincinnati. The gap widens as time passes. Teachers with 11 years of experience and a master's degree make 29 percent less than their Ohio counterparts.
Tom Breadon, an assistant principal at Holmes High School, is a 14-year veteran of Kentucky schools. He has four children and earns about $65,000 a year as an administrator. In Ohio, he would gain $6,000 in lower health insurance costs alone, he said.
He started looking this summer, but declined interviews at several Ohio schools, suspecting he wouldn't be happy.
Even so, he said he'll likely go searching again.
"I wasn't going to go just anywhere, when I'm happy here," Breadon said. "It's just difficult to look at your family and say, 'Well, I'm loyal to this district, so we have to pay $400 a month extra for health insurance.'"