Arkansas governor recommends school funding increase
November 10, 2022 GMTLITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson on Thursday recommended that lawmakers increase public school funding by $550 million over the next two years to raise teacher pay, as the Republican prepares to leave office in January.
Kemp vs. Abrams II: Republican has incumbent advantage now
October 15, 2022 GMTATLANTA (AP) — In 2018, Brian Kemp spent much of his campaign for Georgia governor in Stacey Abrams’ shadow as the Democratic Party star tried to become the nation's first Black female governor.
Education takes an unusual back seat in Georgia election
September 22, 2022 GMTLILBURN, Ga. (AP) — Like schools nationwide, those in Georgia face some big decisions in coming years.
But polls show K-12 education trailing among voter concerns this year, and candidates are spending more time talking about inflation, the economy, abortion and guns.
Democratic hopeful backs pay raises for Arkansas teachers
July 19, 2022 GMTLITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Gubernatorial hopeful Chris Jones on Tuesday called for increasing Arkansas teacher salaries, following a push by fellow Democrats to put teacher pay raises on the agenda for a legislative session next month.
Mississippi new laws: Tax cut, teacher pay raise, state song
June 30, 2022 GMTJACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Several new laws take effect in Mississippi on Friday, which is also the first day of the new state budget year.
TEACHER PAY
In the new budget year, teachers will receive raises that average about $5,100, and assistant teachers will receive $2,000.
Georgia Democrat Abrams proposes big boost in teacher pay
June 13, 2022 GMTTUCKER, Ga. (AP) — Georgia Democrat Stacey Abrams is proposing a big teacher pay raise in her run for governor, saying Republican Gov. Brian Kemp's much-touted $5,000 across-the-board increase is not enough to recruit new teachers and retain current teachers.
Mississippi school district OKs $5K incentive for recruiting
May 22, 2022 GMTNATCHEZ, Miss. (AP) — A Mississippi school district has approved a $5,000 incentive to help recruit teachers.
Natchez-Adams School District will pay some teachers in areas of “critical need” a $5,000 sign-on bonus to come work for them following a unanimous vote of the Board of Trustees on Tuesday.
House vote sends $39 billion 2022-23 budget to Edwards
May 19, 2022 GMTBATON ROUGE, LA. (AP) — The Louisiana House granted final legislative passage Thursday to a $39 billion state operating budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1.
The vote to accept various Senate changes to the bill was 88-7.
$39 billion state budget quickly passed by state Senate
May 18, 2022 GMTBATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — A $39 billion state operating budget that includes teacher pay raises and a down payment on a proposed bridge across the Mississippi River at Baton Rouge was approved with little discussion Wednesday afternoon by the state Senate.
Missouri lawmakers pass $48 billion state budget
May 6, 2022 GMTJEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri's Republican-led Legislature on Friday passed a roughly $48 billion state budget packed with extra funding for teacher pay, school busing, Medicaid and public colleges and universities.
Missouri Senate advances $46 billion state budget
April 26, 2022 GMTJEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri senators on Tuesday passed a roughly $46 billion state budget plan bolstered by federal funding that includes extra money for K-12 public school busing and teacher pay raises.
Edwards: Increase raise for teachers, law enforcement
April 21, 2022 GMTNEW ORLEANS (AP) — The Legislature will likely be able to raise state teacher pay by $2,000 a year before the current session ends in June, Gov. John Bel Edwards said Thursday.
Edwards spoke at a livestreamed news conference at the Capitol in Baton Rouge as the state House wrapped up work on a $38 billion 2022-2023 operating budget that already has $1,500 raises for teachers.
Alabama lawmakers approve teacher pay raise
April 6, 2022 GMTMONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama lawmakers on Wednesday approved the largest teacher pay raise in a generation in an effort to keep experienced educators in the classroom.
The raises are included in the education trust fund budget that got final approval when the Alabama House of Representatives agreed, without a dissenting vote, to Senate changes.
Teacher raise, tax cut top issues in Mississippi session
April 6, 2022 GMTJACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi legislators have finished their busiest session in years after enacting the largest teacher pay raise in a generation and setting the state's largest-ever income tax cut.
Mississippi legislators work to approve state spending plans
April 4, 2022 GMTJACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi legislators on Monday were approving parts of a state budget for the year that begins July 1, and it is substantially larger than the budget for the current year.
The biggest state-funded portion of the new budget is nearly $6.3 billion general fund.
Major issues to be decided in session’s final days
April 4, 2022 GMTMONTGOMERY, Ala (AP) — Alabama lawmakers return to Montgomery on Tuesday with a number of large issues to be decided in the closing days of the legislative session.
Legislators expect to conclude the session next week.
Mississippi teacher pay raise bill headed to governor
March 22, 2022 GMTJACKSON, Miss. (AP) — A bill headed to Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves would give the state’s public school teachers their largest pay raise in years.
The House voted 118-4 Tuesday to pass the final version of House Bill 530.
SC gov hopeful Cunningham proposes 10% teacher pay bump
March 22, 2022 GMTCOLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Joe Cunningham, who is running to unseat Republican Gov.
Idaho governor issues first veto, urges teacher pay boost
March 17, 2022 GMTBOISE, Idaho (AP) — Idaho Gov. Brad Little has issued his first veto of the year, rejecting a measure having to do with incentive money intended for teachers but who moved into administrative jobs.
It’s a deal: Mississippi teacher pay plan awaits final votes
March 16, 2022 GMTJACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Negotiators from the Mississippi House and Senate reached a deal Wednesday to boost some of the lowest teacher salaries in the nation.
The two Republican-controlled chambers will vote on the plan in coming days, and members are expected to pass it by wide margins.
Mississippi House makes opening bid on teacher pay deal
March 10, 2022 GMTJACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi House leaders said Thursday that they have signed off on a plan to increase some of the lowest teacher salaries in the nation by an average of $4,850.
But they acknowledged they had reached the plan without having negotiations with senators.
Mississippi teacher pay raise bill heading to negotiations
March 4, 2022 GMTJACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi lawmakers will negotiate a final version of a bill to increase some of the lowest teacher salaries in the nation.
The House and Senate passed separate plans several weeks ago provide raises of at least $4,000 a year.
Mississippi Senate OKs pay bill ‘by teachers, for teachers’
March 2, 2022 GMTJACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi senators acted quickly Wednesday to unanimously pass a teacher pay raise bill, sending it back to the House for possible debate within the next three weeks.
The vote came a day after the Senate Education and Appropriations committees approved a version of the bill, which would give teachers an average $4,700 raise over two years.
Mississippi teacher pay survives legislators’ political spat
March 2, 2022 GMTJACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Proposals to increase some of the lowest teacher salaries in the U.S. were in danger Tuesday as Mississippi legislators engaged in a political showdown. Hours before a big deadline, Senate committees voted to keep the issue alive.
Mississippi: Teacher pay, initiatives still alive midsession
February 14, 2022 GMTJACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi legislators are halfway through their three-month session. Here are some issues still being considered:
TEACHER SALARIES — The House and Senate have passed separate plans to increase some of the lowest teacher salaries in the nation.
Bill to put teachers on state health insurance clears Senate
February 3, 2022 GMTBOISE, Idaho (AP) — Legislation to put Idaho teachers and other educational workers on state health insurance headed to the governor on Thursday.
The Senate voted 32-3 to approve the plan that backers said will allow Idaho K-12 teachers and other school workers to take home more of their paychecks by reducing their costs for premiums and deductibles.
South Dakota House passes bill requiring teacher pay boost
January 26, 2022 GMTPIERRE, S.D. (AP) — The South Dakota House on Wednesday passed a proposal to push schools to increase average teacher compensation from what it was in 2017.
The bill easily passed the Republican-controlled House with just a single dissenting vote and will next proceed to the Senate.
Reeves in State of the State: Raise teacher pay, cut taxes
January 26, 2022 GMTJACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said in his State of the State speech Tuesday that cutting taxes, giving pay raises to teachers, investing in infrastructure and expanding the state police presence in the capital city of Jackson are among his priorities this year.
House committee approves bill requiring teacher salary boost
January 25, 2022 GMTPIERRE, S.D. (AP) — A South Dakota House committee on Monday approved a proposal to prod school districts to use most of their boost in state funding for teachers' salaries.
The Republican-dominated committee approved the bill on an eight to six vote, sending it to debate on the House floor.
House OKs plan to put teachers on state health insurance
January 24, 2022 GMTBOISE, Idaho (AP) — Legislation allowing Idaho K-12 teachers to take home more of their paychecks by giving school districts an opportunity to leave private health care carriers and join the state’s self-funded health insurance plan cleared the House on Monday and headed to the Senate.
Teacher raises, new Baton Rouge bridge in Edwards’ budget
January 24, 2022 GMTBATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — More than $148 million for Louisiana teacher pay raises, $500 million toward construction of a new Mississippi River bridge at Baton Rouge, and a $550 million replenishment of the state's pandemic-battered unemployment trust fund are part of the new state budget proposal outlined Monday by Gov.
2 teacher pay raise proposals alive at Mississippi Capitol
January 21, 2022 GMTJACKSON, Miss. (AP) — The Mississippi Senate voted Friday to increase teachers' pay, days after the House approved a separate proposal.
The two Republican-controlled chambers and Republican Gov.
Gov. Parson calls for higher teacher pay, child care access
January 20, 2022 GMTJEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri's Republican Gov. Mike Parson in his State of the State address Wednesday proposed spending hundreds of millions of dollars to boost child care services and teacher wages as the state battles the latest COVID-19 surge.
Teacher pay raise plan moves forward at Mississippi Capitol
January 12, 2022 GMTJACKSON, Miss. (AP) — The Mississippi House acted quickly Wednesday to approve a bill that would increase teacher pay, nudging ahead of senators who are working on a separate plan.
The House bill would give raises of $4,000 to $6,000.
Proposed teacher raises would make New Mexico competitive
January 11, 2022 GMTSANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico wants to attract more teachers as part of a government-wide spending spree fueled by taxes from surging oil and gas revenues.
Mississippi Senate leaders propose teacher pay increase
January 10, 2022 GMTJACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi Senate leaders are proposing a plan to increase teachers' pay an average of $4,700 over two years to try to move the state away from its perpetually low national ranking for educators' salaries.
Georgia gov proposes $5,000 raise for state agency employees
January 7, 2022 GMTATLANTA (AP) — Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp on Friday announced a proposal to give a $5,000 annual pay raise to state agency employees as lawmakers survey what's likely to be a prosperous state revenue picture.
Survey: Louisiana teacher pay among the lowest in the South
December 5, 2021 GMTBATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Louisiana's average teacher salary continues to lag most states in the South, according to a new survey updating the latest figures.
Teachers in the state were paid an average of $51,566 during the 2019-20 school year — 12th among 16 states in the region, according to data from the Southern Regional Education Board.
New Mexico governor seeks pay increase for public schools
December 1, 2021 GMTSANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced Wednesday she will pursue a 7% pay increase for educators and staff at K-12 public schools as well as higher minimum salaries for teachers at various career stages.
NC Republicans unveil final budget with pay raises, tax cuts
November 15, 2021 GMTRALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Republicans at the North Carolina legislature on Monday rolled out their final two-year budget bill, hopeful that sweeteners on employee pay raises, infrastructure and tax cuts for individuals will attract enough Democratic support so the long-delayed plan can become law.
Indiana teachers union calls lawmakers to address shortages
November 15, 2021 GMTINDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana's largest teachers union is calling on state lawmakers to address educator burnout and ongoing teacher shortages during the next legislative session that begins in January.
Reeves touts conservative talking points in budget pitch
November 15, 2021 GMTJACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves' proposed budget for the upcoming year includes money for teacher pay raises, a water and sewer improvement grant program and a plan for eliminating the state income tax, according to recommendations he released Monday.
SC Education Superintendent Spearman won’t run again
October 27, 2021 GMTCOLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina Education Superintendent Molly Spearman said Wednesday she will not run for a third term, saying after 40 years of service as a teacher, lawmaker and education official she wants to devote more time to her family.
Ink barely dry on budget as Mississippi starts new one
September 23, 2021 GMTJACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Less than three months into the current budget year, Mississippi legislators are starting to plan for the next one.
The Joint Legislative Budget Committee holds a public hearing Friday as part of the long process of deciding how the state will spend billions of dollars during the year that begins July 1.
Lawmakers consider teacher pay, insurance cost for families
September 15, 2021 GMTJACKSON, Miss. (AP) — A Mississippi public school teacher with 15 years of experience providing health insurance for their family took home just under $30,000 a year in net pay in 2020, a “shocking number,” a policy adviser with the Southern Regional Education Board told state lawmakers Wednesday.
NC House gives initial approval to budget bill
August 12, 2021 GMTRALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The North Carolina House gave initial approval late Wednesday to a two-year budget, after Republicans who wrote the legislation touted its teacher pay hikes, income tax provisions and massive infrastructure spending spree.
Biden says teachers deserve ‘a raise, not just praise’
July 3, 2021 GMTSpeaking to the nation’s largest teachers union, President Joe Biden said Friday that the pandemic has given America’s parents the “ultimate education” on the challenges of the teaching profession. But even more, he said, the last year has proved that teachers across the U.S.
La. income forecast grows, giving lawmakers more to spend
May 18, 2021 GMTBATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Already flush with federal cash, Louisiana's budget picture brightened again Tuesday, with the state's income forecasting panel estimating $677 million in tax collections above expectations should flow into the treasury over the next 14 months.
Indiana budget deal boosts school funding, construction
April 20, 2021 GMTINDIANAPOLIS (AP) — A new Indiana state budget awash in federal coronavirus relief money will give a sizeable funding boost to public schools while also paying for numerous economic grant programs and construction projects...
Better Indiana outlook brings calls for bigger schools boost
April 15, 2021 GMTINDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana educators called Thursday for a bigger school funding boost to help improve the state’s lagging teacher pay, as new projections showed state tax collections are expected to bounce back stronger than expected from the pandemic recession...
Arkansas governor signs bills increasing median teacher pay
April 12, 2021 GMTLITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson on Monday signed legislation to raise the target median annual pay for public school teachers by $2,000...
Pay raises, yes; tax changes, no: Mississippi session ends
April 1, 2021 GMTJACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi legislators ended their 2021 session Thursday after agreeing on a teacher pay raise and voting to update parole rules in a state with crowded prisons...
Mississippi gov praises teachers as he signs pay raise bill
March 30, 2021 GMTJACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves on Monday signed a bill authorizing a $1,000 pay raise for most teachers, and lawmakers worked to adopt final parts of state spending and borrowing plans for the year that begins July 1...
Mississippi lawmakers set details on $6 billion state budget
March 27, 2021 GMTJACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi legislators are set to start voting Sunday on details of a state government spending plan for the year that begins July 1...
Board approves paying $1,000 bonuses to Georgia teachers
March 25, 2021 GMTATLANTA (AP) — Georgia's state Board of Education has approved a plan to pay $1,000 bonuses to teachers and most other education employees, using in $240 million federal coronavirus relief money...
Mississippi teacher pay raise plan headed to governor
March 18, 2021 GMTJACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi legislators have agreed on a teacher pay raise plan, and it will head to Gov...
Mississippi teacher pay raise plan inches forward in Senate
March 4, 2021 GMTJACKSON, Miss. (AP) — The Mississippi Senate is pushing forward with a plan to increase some of the lowest teacher salaries in the United States...
Analysis: Capitol action could affect wallets and leisure
February 7, 2021 GMTJACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi legislators are making decisions that could affect people's wallets and change some of their leisure activities...
Mississippi governor’s State of the State: Lawmakers react
January 26, 2021 GMTJACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Republican Gov. Tate Reeves received bipartisan support for committing to a teacher pay raise during his State of the State address Tuesday...
Education in virus era dominates Tennessee special session
January 19, 2021 GMTNASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, responding to educational challenges of the coronavirus pandemic, directed state lawmakers Tuesday to quickly pass teacher pay raises and adopt a new reading benchmark for students to pass third grade.