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What candidates for governor are saying about teacher pay and education

Luke Ramseth
Mississippi Clarion Ledger

Teacher pay was a central issue of the 2019 legislative session, and already it's a hot issue in the gubernatorial race as primary elections approach. Mississippi teachers make on average more than $6,000 less than their colleagues in other states around the Southeast. 

The Clarion Ledger over the last month has met with major candidates for governor on multiple issues, including education and teacher pay. Each candidate was asked about the same issues. 

Here's where the candidates stand on raises for teachers, and how to pay for it.


Robert Foster: Foster said Mississippi school districts should be consolidated to save money on administrative costs and salaries, money that could then be used to raise teacher pay in the state. "That would save so much money that is redundant, repetitive, duplicative costs throughout these counties that can then be used to help pay our teachers the salary that they need to be paid to be competitive with our surrounding states," he said. FULL STORY. 

Tate Reeves: Reeves often points out under his leadership as lieutenant governor, teachers are making about $8,000 more than they did when he ran eight years ago. That figure, however, factors in routine step pay raises in place before Reeves took office, plus the two pay raises passed under his leadership. He did not offer a specific plan for how much of a raise teachers deserve, or when. But he said "we don't pay our teachers what they're worth," and suggested increasing state revenue would allow them to receive additional pay increases in coming years. 

Bill Waller Jr.: Waller wants to give teachers at least a $1,000 raise each year until their salaries match the Southeast average. He said such an increase would run about $50 million annually, which he said was a manageable amount to prioritize in the state budget each year. FULL STORY.


Jim Hood: Hood has said the recent $1,500 teacher pay raise approved by the Legislature is insufficient. He said he would push for salary hikes over the next several years until the state's average pay aligns with the regional average. To fund the raises, he said Mississippi legislators should cut back corporate tax breaks, and also slash what he termed as "wasteful," "buddy-buddy contracts" elected officials have doled out, especially contracts with the state's prison and Medicaid agencies. FULL STORY.

Robert Shuler Smith: Smith said he supports giving teachers as much as an $11,000 raise, which aligns with a figure in a recent report by state Auditor Shad White. The best way to pay for the increase would be to cut administrative spending in schools, and use the savings to pay teachers more. "There's no way teachers can work part-time jobs and concentrate fully on our students," he said. FULL STORY

Velesha P. Williams: Williams said she backs giving teachers raises, and putting more state money into education, though she was vague about how the state would pay for it. She suggested "a great deal" of the necessary money for teacher pay raises and other education improvements already exists, it's just been "diverted into other areas." FULL STORY.
