If you have a question about the 2022 Missouri Legislative Session, please submit it here.

How will veteran teacher salaries be affected if the minimum salary is boosted to $38,000?

Gov. Mike Parson proposed a cost sharing grant program to be included in the FY23 budget that would allow districts to work with the state to raise the minimum teacher’s salary to $38,000. This proposed program would allow districts to pull 70 percent of the cost to raise the minimum salary in their districts from a state program while using district funds to cover the other 30 percent. This much needed step to address teacher salaries is the first tangible effort by the state to address the overall issue of low public education employee pay. While there are still details to be worked out, this first step is important to build momentum and support for raising all pay across public education.  MSTA continues to advocate for higher salaries for all employees and with other advocates such as the State Board of Education that have also identified the dire need to address all salaries in Missouri’s schools.  The Missouri State Teachers Association Adopted Resolutions support a minimum statewide salary schedule of $40,000 for five years or less experience; $45,000 minimum salary for teachers with a master’s degree or equivalent hours and six to 10 years’ experience, or a bachelor’s degree with six to 19 years’ experience; $50,000 minimum salary for teachers with a master’s degree or equivalent hours with 11 to 19 years’ experience, or a bachelor’s degree and 20 or more years’ experience; $55,000 minimum salary for teachers with a masters’ degree or equivalent hours and 20 years of experience; and $60,000 minimum salary for teachers with a master’s degree or equivalent hours and 25 or more years’ experience.  

Missouri Learning standards are adopted by the State Board of Education to define the necessary skills and knowledge students need for lifelong success. Curriculum is adopted at the local level. MSTA Adopted Resolutions support the autonomy of the local school district to adopt curriculum, assessments, and programs to meet educational goals. The MSTA salary and research department has skilled finance consultants that can tell you exactly what the financial condition of your school district is. Our experts will take you beyond the raw numbers and show you what it all means. If you have questions about your district, the salary and research staff can get you an assessment of new revenue available for salary and fringe benefit enhancement suggested ways in which district revenue can be increased, ways to cut expenditures without sacrificing programs and salaries and make recommended fund balances and ways to reduce excessive fund balances. MSTA offers salary workshops across the state, you can register for a salary workshop by visiting https://www.msta.org//events/SalaryAndFinance or contacting MSTA headquarters. 

 

Is there any legislation dealing with changing the limit of 550 hours for subbing after retirement to a salary limit of $19,500? 

HB2304 (E. Lewis) was voted do pass out of the House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee.  The underlying bill relates to the granting of substitute teaching certificates.  The bill would place into state law provisions that are similar to changes adopted by the State Board of Education. The bill would allow the State Board of Education to grant certificates to individuals who have completed 36 semester hours of higher education, a 20-hour online training course developed by DESE and hold a high school diploma or equivalent. The SBOE could also grant a substitute certificate to “highly qualified individuals”, those with expertise in a technical or business field or service in the Armed Forces if they are sponsored by a local superintendent. 

This bill was amended in committee to include a provision that would waive the work after retirement limits for PSRS/PEERS retirees for 3 years. Governor Parson had granted a temporary waiver of state statues that limit the number of hours worked and salary earned by PSRS/PEERS retirees while working for covered employers in temporary, part-time and substitute positions but that waiver expired December 31, 2021.  

Rep. Rusty Black has had a hearing on HB2114 that would allow PSRS retirees that work part time in PEERS covered positions to earn up to the annual earnings limit applicable to a Social Security recipient. Currently, such retirees may only earn up to 60 percent of the minimum teacher’s salary. This legislation would allow for responsible growth in the limit. The bill also extends the cap from two years to four years for the use of the critical shortage provision to hire retirees for hard to fill positions. MSTA testified in support of HB2114. 

 

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