JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – On Wednesday, Mississippi lawmakers met for the conference committee meeting on teacher pay at the Mississippi State Capitol.
Senate Education Committee Chairman Dennis Debar (R-District 43) said there were very little differences between the Senate’s bill on teacher pay and the House’s proposal. He said they concur with most of the House report.
Senators offered an average increase of about $5,100 – a jump of more than 10% over teachers’ current pay. That is a few hundred dollars higher than the House offered last week.
“I think this is a doable proposal, even with tax cuts that may or may not occur by the end of the session. We’re confident in the numbers. We’re confident this can be met,” said Debar.
Under plans offered by the House and Senate, teachers’ base pay would increase by a few hundred dollars most years, with larger increases with every fifth year of experience and a more substantial bump at 25 years.
A beginning Mississippi teacher with a bachelor’s degree currently receives a $37,000 salary from the state, and the local school district can provide a supplement. Under the latest proposal, the base pay from the state would be $41,500. Teachers with higher degrees and more experience are paid more.
Dozens of teachers and school administrators were at the Capitol on Wednesday to speak to lawmakers and watch them work.
The average teacher salary in Mississippi during the 2019-20 academic year was $46,843, according to the Southern Regional Education Board. That lagged behind the average of $55,205 for teachers in the 16 states of the regional organization. The national average was $64,133.
Under the latest proposal, Mississippi teachers’ assistants would receive a $2,000 increase over two years, taking their pay from $15,000 to $17,000.
Republican Gov. Tate Reeves has said he supports increasing pay levels to recruit and retain people in classrooms.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.