Plans being developed by the education stakeholders task force include a sweeping new “career ladder” proposal for Idaho public school teachers that would raise Idaho’s minimum teacher pay from the current $31,000 to $40,000, and that would boost the top of the state’s teacher salary schedule from the current $46,537 to $60,000, reports Kevin Richert of Idaho Education News. The proposal is being worked up by a subcommittee of the task force, Richert reports; you can read his full post here. Teachers also would be eligible for “leadership awards” that would further boost pay. The cost: $35 million to $43 million a year for the first five years.

The full 31-member task force has its next meeting Aug. 23; it hopes to pass on recommendations to Gov. Butch Otter before the end of the year.