Senator Derrick T. Simmons News Release on Teacher Pay Raise bill.

This week I supported House Bill 504 that used Senate language to authorize a teacher pay increase raising starting pay to $34,390 by July 2015 and that gives a $1,500 across the board raise this year, in July 2014 and another $1,000 boost in July 2015. After that teachers will receive raises in schools that show academic improvement each year under the School Recognition Program implemented in Fiscal Year 2017.

I voted for this and supported it because over the past two years I have introduced bills supporting a 5-percent across the board raise for all teachers, which meant those earning $30,000 a year would have received a $1,500 raise immediately. With a 5-percent across the board pay raise, teachers paid $40,000 would have received only a $2,000 pay raise immediately.

If the House agreed with the Senate plan, teachers will receive a $2,500 pay raise with no benchmarks or merit pay components over the next two years. I’m working to get full funding of the MAEP.

While I continue to speak out for pay increases to retain the qualified teachers we have and to recruit more of them, I will continue to push legislation to get their salaries increased until we can find the mechanism that guarantees they receive some sort of noticeable raise every year.

Please call me at 601-359-3221 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it if I can be of assistance. Please know that I am always looking to improve our district and our state and your input is valuable.

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