The plan will raise base teacher salaries in Mississippi by an average of $5,140 and increases teacher assistant salaries by $2,000.
On Tuesday, the Mississippi House passed House Bill 530 which would significantly raise the pay that teachers receive.
“This is a historical moment for Mississippi, this is a historical moment for teachers,” House Education Chairman Representative Richard Bennett said on the floor.
The legislation passed the Senate last week following conference negotiations.
“The winners today are our teachers who are helping grow the next generation of Mississippi leaders,” Lt. Governor Hosemann said following the Senate’s passage of the bill. “Thank you for all of your work on behalf of our state. The critically important role you play in the future of our state is not lost on the Mississippi Senate.”
Last Wednesday, lawmakers held a conference committee hearing in which they discussed the teacher pay raise legislation now housed under House Bill 530. The House conferees signed a conference report prior to meeting that reflected their position on the issue as well as incorporated portions of the Senate’s stance.
READ MORE: Teacher pay raise legislation makes its way through the conference process
Senators on the conference committee negotiating teacher pay raises offered the House a $246 million proposal that raised base teacher salaries by an average of $5,140 as well as increased teacher assistant salaries by $2,000.
Other elements of the plan includes:
- Class A teacher with a baccalaureate degree would start at $41,500.
- Teachers would receive annual step increases of between $400 and $600 at most every year, including in the first three years of teaching.
- At five-year marks in a teacher’s career up to Year 20 teachers would receive a larger increase between $1,200 and $1,350 based on their certification. At Year 25, they would receive a $2,500 increase.
- The base salary schedule does not include any local supplements or state supplements, like extra compensation to locate in certain critical needs areas or become a National Board Certified Teacher.
HB 530 will now head to the Governor’s desk to be signed into law. Governor Tate Reeves has long been a proponent of raising teacher pay, calling for it again prior to the start of the 2022 legislative session.
A spokesperson for the Governor told Y’all Politics on Monday that Reeves made a promise to deliver pay raises for the state’s teachers and he intends to fulfill that promise.
“Throughout the pandemic, our state’s teachers did what many around the country would not – go into the classroom and ensure Mississippi kids received the in-person instruction needed to prepare them to become successful adults,” a spokesperson for Governor Reeves said. “They are a major reason why Mississippi’s high school graduation rate is at an all-time high and dropout rate is at an all-time low. Governor Reeves made a promise to deliver pay raises for Mississippi’s teachers. He intends to fulfill that promise and looks forward to continuing to work with the legislature to ensure our teachers receive the raise they have earned and deserve.”
You can read the full conference report housed under the bill below.
Anne Summerhays
