Teacher Pay

Last year, a temporary solution raised pay for some teachers. This year, educators are asking for a permanent increase in teacher salaries.

Kem Smith’s advice column, ‘After the Bell,’ answers questions from educators across the country who are in all stages of their careers.

The state’s commission on teacher recruitment and retention says Missouri should find a way to pay teachers more.

A professor who studies rural schools in Missouri says the teacher shortage is now a crisis, and condensed schedules reflect that.

Missouri’s average starting teacher salary ranks as one of the lowest in the nation. Educators recounted that new and veteran teachers often have to find second jobs to make ends meet.

It’s part of an effort to study the teacher shortage in the state and make policy changes to address high turnover rates.

The budget bill that includes grants to pay for teacher raises will only cover the next school year, are optional and require the districts to pay for part of the raise.

A new review from the National Education Association teachers union found Missouri teachers are near the bottom in pay by multiple measures.

The persistent teacher shortage in the state is worst in rural areas in central and southern Illinois.

Updated Jan. 9 with information about teacher recruitment effortsMissouri education officials have a handful of ideas on how to get more people interested…