ZACHARY - For school districts, attracting and keeping teachers often depends on how much they’re willing to pay, and in Zachary, increasing teacher pay will appear on the ballot this fall.

Teacher pay comes up so often that tracking each proposed salary initiative from individual districts can be a challenge. As costs rise nationally, school districts aim to become more competitive.

“As a school district, we've been very successful, one of the top school districts in the state, not only academically but also athletically and our arts programs,” Superintendent Ben Necaise said.

The Zachary school district was created more than two decades ago, and with just under 5,500 students and seven schools, the superintendent says he’s looking to keep teachers.

“We need to invest in them,” he said.

The district has proposed that teacher pay start at $60,000, up from the current $52,000, but the decision is ultimately up to voters.

“It is a new tax, but what it would effectively do is not raise our current tax rates,” Necaise said.

Compared to other districts, here’s how Zachary stacks up in teacher with bachelor’s degrees starting salaries:

- West Baton Rouge: $53,074
- Iberville Parish: $$60,506
- East Baton Rouge: $50,000
- Ascension: $52,000
- West Feliciana: $52,000
- Pointe Coupee: $47,000 

The measure is expected to be on the ballot on Nov. 15.