Mississippi News
Mississippi Senate passes teacher raise
Senate passes teacher raise
The state Senate on Friday with no debate unanimously passed a $210-million teacher pay raise, but the entire Black Caucus did not vote because its members walked out in protest of a critical race theory bill passed earlier.
Senate Bill 2444 would provide an average teacher salary increase of $4,700 over two years and restructure the way teachers are paid to provide higher salaries in the long term.
With the state budget flush largely from federal government pandemic spending, the state Senate and House now have competing teacher pay raise bills. Either would be one of the largest teacher pay raises in state history, with the House proposal at $219 million, providing raises of $4,000 to $6,000 a year.
“This will hopefully incentivize people to go into the teaching field and incentivize those already teaching to stay and to stay in Mississippi,” said Senate Education Chairman Dennis DeBar, R-Leakesville. He said teachers and experts have called for lawmakers to “remove some of the stagnation” in teacher salaries. The House plan would provide sizeable pay increases for teachers at five-year intervals.
After DeBar introduced the bill on Friday, Sen. Philip Moran, R-Kiln, successfully offered a motion to prohibit debate and vote immediately. Senate Bill 2444 then passed unanimously, 35-0, but with 14 members of the Senate's Black Caucus having left before the bill was taken up.
Mississippi's teacher pay by several metrics is the lowest in the nation and the state has been grappling with a teacher shortage. Nationally, nearly 50% of new teachers leave the profession within their first five years, according to the National Commission on Teaching and America's Future.
Both legislative proposals aim to increase starting teachers' salaries, and Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann, House Speaker Philip Gunn and Gov. Tate Reeves have all promised “significant” teacher raises. Reeves proposed a smaller, $3,300 increase over two years.
On Friday, Hosemann in a statement said: “Teachers open the gates of the minds of our future. I am thankful for the work of Chairman DeBar in listening to teachers to devise a pay system that begins the long necessary journey to monetarily rewarding their efforts.”
The Senate plan would bring the starting salary for teachers up to $40,000 and includes raises of $1,325 to $1,624 at five-year intervals as teachers gain more experience. The House plan includes a starting salary of $43,000 and a $2,000 raise for teacher assistants. The House plan would boost starting teacher pay above the Southeastern and national averages.
Each chamber has passed its own measure, sending it to the other. Most likely, a combination of the two will ultimately pass in the 2022 legislative session.
READ MORE: ‘I was not expecting anything close to this:' Teachers react to pay raise proposals
This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
Mississippi News
Monroe County leaders take to streets for good cause
SUMMARY: Members of Monroe County's law enforcement and Aberdeen city leaders participated in the Special Olympics Mississippi Torch Run, a fundraiser for the Special Olympics. Officers from the Aberdeen Police Department and Monroe County Sheriff's Office, along with the new Mayor of Aberdeen and Police Chief, escorted the torch through town. The torch will be escorted by law enforcement agencies across the state until it reaches Biloxi for the Special Olympics Summer Games. This event is a grassroots effort to support the Special Olympics and promote awareness for the cause. Follow for more updates on Facebook.
The post Monroe County leaders take to streets for good cause appeared first on www.wcbi.com
Mississippi News
Jackson couple claims they’ve been harassed by motorcycle group
SUMMARY: A Jackson couple has been enduring harassment and noise from a motorcycle club for the past year, with the club's loud activities causing distress for the couple. The club, Outcast Motorcycle Club, has defended their actions, stating that they can't help the noise from their motorcycles. The couple, particularly concerned about the health of the wife, has contacted the police multiple times for assistance. Jackson Police Chief Joseph Wade has stated that if the club is found to be a nuisance, they may take action to shut it down. The club, with a permit to operate at the location, may have to consider relocating if the situation worsens.
The post Jackson couple claims they've been harassed by motorcycle group appeared first on www.wjtv.com
Mississippi News
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The post PERS bill awaits Mississippi governor's signature appeared first on www.wjtv.com
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