Today, at a press conference surrounded by public school teachers in Gulfport, Tate Reeves released his plan to raise teacher pay, become the best state in the country for paying national board certified teachers with the most national board certified teachers, increase teacher supply funding, and more.
“I don’t traffic in false promises of unlimited free money from the government. When I make a promise, I keep it. You can take it to the bank,” Tate Reeves said at the event. “This plan represents my commitment to our teachers. It is based on months of research and planning to determine what we can afford, with an eye towards aggressive investment in our educators.”
The plan can be found at https://tatereeves.com/issues/teacher-pay-plan/ and below.
Goal #1 – Raise Miss. teacher starting salaries to regional average in 2 years
Get to Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) starting salary average within 2 years. (Current: $35,890)
Get to Southeastern average salary in 4 years. (Current: $47,074)
The average teacher salary of our surrounding states is approx. $4,200 more than Mississippi’s. Every $500 increase is $26M from the general fund; this would be about $52m/year for 4 years. $224M total
- YEAR 1 – $1,500
- YEAR 2 – $1,000
- YEAR 3 – $1,000
- YEAR 4 – $800Goal #2 – Recruit new teachers to critical shortage areas
$10,000 bonus for new teachers to target critical shortage areas in certain subjects and geographic locations (STEM, Miss. Delta, etc.). - GOAL #3 – Pay Mississippi National Board teachers the highest supplement in the nation and become the #1 per capita ranked state for National Board Certified TeachersYEAR 4 – $800 Increase supplement from $6,000 to $10,000Pay teachers to successfully complete components of the certification. Work with NBCT to create an endowment that would prevent teachers from having to pay upfront costs.
- Promote NBCT certification more aggressively within the teaching community to ensure that all teachers know of the opportunities and incentives that come with certification.
Goal #2 – Recruit new teachers to critical shortage areas
$10,000 bonus for new teachers to target critical shortage areas in certain subjects and geographic locations (STEM, Miss. Delta, etc.).
GOAL #3 – Pay Mississippi National Board teachers the highest supplement in the nation and become the #1 per capita ranked state for National Board Certified Teachers
- Increase supplement from $6,000 to $10,000
- Pay teachers to successfully complete components of the certification. Work with NBCT to create an endowment that would prevent teachers from having to pay upfront costs.
- Promote NBCT certification more aggressively within the teaching community to ensure that all teachers know of the opportunities and incentives that come with certification.
Goal #4 – Increase pay & innovation at higher education institutions
- Raise professor pay across the board at community colleges
- Incentivize professors to teach at local high schools in critical subject areas.
- Reward IHL institutions for producing high quality School of Education graduates who teach in Mississippi.
Goal #5 – Double investment in Teacher Supply Funds again
- Increase teacher supply funds from $12M to $24M.
Goal #6 – Increase investment in Early Learning Collaboratives
- Significantly increase our investment in Early Learning Collaboratives to ensure early learning and preschool access for as many Mississippians as possible.
Goal #7 – Create Teacher Advisory Council
Advise the Governor by June 2020 on laws needed to be changed regarding testing, discipline, & home rule.
Tate Reeves Campaign Release
10/9/19
