Teacher pay raise closer to reality

Teachers in Mississippi are one step closer to getting a pay raise that many say has been long overdue.

In Jackson, a House and Senate Conference Committee Thursday reached agreement on a plan for pay raises that will still need to be agreed to in both houses of the legislature before it goes to Gov. Tate Reeves for his signature.  

You can read the entire report on the Mississippi Legislature website.  

The Senate then went and passed the conference report unanimously but the House adjourned for the day without taking up the conference report.

According to information, released on Twitter by House Education Vice Chairman Rep. Kent McCarty, the state payment to teachers will average more than $5,100 a year and $2,000 annually for teacher assistants, starting with the 2022-23 school year.  

Today, the House & Senate reached an agreement on The START Act— a nearly $250mil investment in MS teachers. Under this legislation, teachers will receive an average raise of $5,140, effective in the 2022-2023 school year. Asst. teachers will also receive a $2,000 raise. pic.twitter.com/FGzO3Wmrk7

— Rep. Kent McCarty (@KentMcCarty) March 16, 2022

The House of Representatives is expected to take up the report when it returns to the Capitol Friday morning.  

State Sen. Dr. David Parker posted the following breakdown of salaries provided by the conference report on his Facebook page.