There is a teacher shortage in Mississippi, and state officials are seeking ways to make Mississippi more attractive to long term education employees.
During a senate education hearing at the Capitol in Jackson, leaders from various state departments shared insight into how teachers are paid by the state. The hearing included testimonies from the Department of Education, Public Employees Retirement System, and the State Economist. Each spoke about how their department is involved in compensating the state’s public school teachers, and potential ways they can enhance the education field through benefits.
There has been bipartisan support for raising teacher pay in the state, which currently falls below the southeastern average. Senator Dennis DeBar Jr. of Leaksville chairs the committee and says lawmakers are determined to pay teachers liveable wages. But there is not yet a consensus on how it will be accomplished. The Republican senator says adjusting teacher pay in the 2022 legislative session will extend beyond just the education committee.
“It’s not just the salaries that go into play here. It’s the other things like the insurance, the PERS, the taxes, things of that nature. What we can control in the education committee, working with senator Hobson through appropriations is increasing salaries. Where do we target those salary increases? And where do we get the money from to make that happen?”
The Governor and a number of Republican lawmakers have voiced their support for the removal of the state income tax. This will be debated alongside teacher pay in the upcoming legislative session. Democratic Senator David Blount of Jackson is the Vice-Chair of the Education Committee. He says the state’s income tax brings in enough money to match the spendings of teacher pay in the state.
“The key to improving education in Mississippi, the most important thing, is a quality teacher in the classroom. And the way to make that happen is to raise teacher pay. You can’t pay for that if you eliminate the income tax. We want to do this, and we’re studying the best way to implement it.”
A new report has been released by the governor’s education task force to identify how the state can address teacher shortages. The report includes ways to enhance teacher training, improve support for educators in their careers, and raise pay and other benefits to match national standards. Lawmakers say they will also use this resource when making decisions on raising teacher pay.
