1-31-23 Update

SB1215 has been approved unanimously by the Senate Appropriations Committee and is now being heard by the full Senate!

Teacher and school staff shortages must be mitigated.

We must pay teachers higher salaries to attract and keep them in our schools.

BACKGROUND

Across the country, schools are facing a shortage of about 300,000 teachers and staff. One factor contributing to this shortage is uncompetitive pay. Teachers make about 23% less in their profession than comparable college graduates in other fields. Many teachers can not afford to live in the community where they work.

Low pay combined with the stresses of teaching during a pandemic and the return to school of isolated students after the pandemic have caused many teachers to resign.

To attract teachers back to the classroom we must substantially increase teacher pay.