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 sai

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