Lawmaker hopes to increase teachers' starting pay

A New Mexico lawmaker is hopeful a measure she has introduced during this legislative session will help address the state's teacher shortage in the form of increased starting pay.

According to State Sen. Mimi Stewart's Senate Bill 329, the beginning salary for a Level I nine month contract would rise from $30,000 to $34,000, the base salary for a Level II teacher would jump from $40,000 to $42,000 while a Level III educator would receive a boost from $50,000 to $52,000.

A retired teacher, Stewart said she receives messages from teachers throughout the state referencing the dire need for a wage increase.

"Teachers haven't had a raise in a very long time," she said. "There was one small cost of living adjustment a few years ago. It's time to give teachers a raise."

A sampling of local reaction to Stewart's bill has been met with a thumbs up for educators.

"I'm all for teachers getting more money," Clovis resident Tobias Hamilton said. "I believe they're underappreciated and undervalued. When you consider they spend more time with our children during the course of the school year than we do as parents and the influence they have, they are a definitely a prized commodity that should be paid as such."

Kent Massey of Portales echoed Hamilton's sentiments.

"I think it's time for the state to take a long look at why there's a teacher shortage and get competitive in the race to attract the best and brightest to the classroom," he said. "If we can't get candidates to look at the opportunities in our state because of lagging pay, it's not something we can continue to ignore. It has to be addressed."

According to the Texas Education Agency, the 2015-16 minimum salary for a beginning teacher in that state was $28,080 while the minimum earnings for a teacher with 20-plus years of experience was $45,510.

A November 2016 released by New Mexico State University's College of Education revealed there were more than 440 teacher vacancies in the state's public schools while also citing a trend in which the number of students enrolled in teacher training programs has declined.

"I admire Sen. Stewart for her efforts," said Clovis resident Kim McBride. "There has to be a way to find the teachers who want to be in the classroom while also making certain they are compensated properly for doing so. I hope the folks in Santa Fe can find a way to put her bill into action."

Officials said the bill has been approved by the Senate Education Committee and will now move to the Senate Finance Committee.