Teacher shortages and salaries

By State Rep. David Klindt

Every day nearly 900,000 children go off to school in Missouri’s 525 school districts around the state. It is important that these children have school buses to transport them to and from school and that they have books, computers, pencils, paper, adequate classrooms, etc. But arguably, the most important asset that we are responsible for providing is their teacher. There has been a lot of discussion recently concerning teacher shortages. This is a critical issue that needs to be addressed before it develops into a full-blown crisis.

Salaries are an important factor in attracting and retaining teachers. It is also an influential factor for college graduates who are deciding whether to enter the profession and make a life-long career of educating children. Most of us make job choices based on whether or not we will be able to support our families. Teachers are no different. Under current state law, minimum salaries for teachers are set at $18,000 per year and $24,000 per year for those teachers who have a Master’s degree. The federal poverty level for a family of four is $17,050 per year.

One third of the college graduates who obtained a degree and planned to become teachers decide not to teach after all and more than one-third of those who begin teaching leave the profession before their fifth year.

Also, record numbers of teachers are applying to retire this year. It is vital that we increase teachers’ salaries as an incentive to new teachers to enter the field and also increase the salaries of our long-serving, experienced teachers who may be influenced to continue teaching for a few more years. An amendment added to SB 573 in the House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee increases minimum teacher salaries to $22,000 per year for a beginning teacher. The bill establishes a fund to provide state revenue to local districts for those districts who choose to participate in the Minimum Salary for Teachers Program. Although SB 573 passed the Education Committee on April 10, the bill has not yet been sent to the House Floor for consideration.

Also, last year the General Assembly passed legislation which created the Missouri Critical Teacher Shortage Forgivable Loan Program. This Program provides up to $8,000 to full-time college students in a teacher training program approved by the Department of Education leading to certification as a teacher. These students must agree to teach for the number of years they receive loan forgiveness in public elementary and secondary schools in Missouri which have been identified by the State Board of Education as being in a critical teacher shortage area. This program is also designed to provide incentive to choose a career in teaching and to ensure that those areas with the greatest need are served.