INDIANAPOLIS - A state commission studying how to make Indiana's teacher pay competitive with surrounding states has come up with a solution; pay teachers more.

In its report released Monday, the commission recommends a mix of cost-cutting and spending shifts aimed at raising average teacher pay from $51,000 to at least $60,000. It says that such a raise would increase Indiana's average teacher salary ranging from 9th highest to 3rd highest in the Midwest and 3rd highest among Indiana's neighbors.

The group convened early last year as recommended by Governor Eric Holcomb.

The commission also says that with more than 65,000 full-time public school teachers in Indiana, achieving that competitive compensation rate will require an additional annual investment of more than $600 million dollars.