Legislation that would give Mississippi teachers and teaching assistants at least a $1,000 pay raise won unanimous state Senate approval Wednesday and now goes to the House.
The bill would give $1,000 raises to most teachers and to all teachers’ assistants. Teachers in the first two years of their careers would receive raises of $1,100.
“I’ve been in the Legislature for 27 years, and I’ve never known an education bill to pass 100%,” said Sen. David Jordan, D-Greenwood, a retired teacher and one of several sponsors for Senate Bill 2001.
The National Education Association says the average U.S. teacher salary was $60,477 for the 2017-18 school year. Mississippi had the lowest average that year — $44,926.
The average teacher salary in Mississippi for the 2018-19 school year was $45,105, according to the state Department of Education.
During Mississippi’s election-year legislative session in 2019, the state approved a $1,500 teacher pay raise that took effect for the current school year.
Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann, Gov. Tate Reeves and several other candidates said while campaigning that further increasing teacher pay would be a priority this year. Hosemann said last week that he wants the passing of Senate Bill 2001 to be part of a multiyear plan to increase some of the lowest salaries in the nation.
Jordan expressed appreciation to Hosemann, saying the bill would not have passed without the lieutentant governor’s assistance.
“We’re getting off on a good start in the Senate chamber,” Jordan said.
Reeves said during his State of the State speech Jan. 24 that he wants to increase teachers’ pay but did not offer a specific plan.
“My priority is simple,” Reeves said. “Let’s pay our teachers as much as we can possibly afford.”
Teachers’ assistants in Mississippi are currently paid $14,000 a year. The bill would increase that to $15,000.
The bill that passed the Senate will go to House committees for more work. If it survives there, as expected, it would go to the full House. “I think it’s going to be a success over there as well,” Jordan said.
The House and Senate must agree on a plan before it can go to the governor. Both chambers are prioritizing education this session.
The bill, if signed into law by the governor, would go into effect July 1.
