Governor proposes pay boost for teachers

Dec. 1—Public school teachers may be in for a pay raise next year under a proposal Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced Wednesday.

The Governor's Office issued a news release saying she will push for a 7 percent pay raise for all public education workers in the 2022 legislative session, scheduled to begin in January. That would increase pay for more than 50,000 K-12 teachers and school staff.

The proposed pay boost would be accompanied by additional increases to the base pay of educators in the state's three-tier licensure system, raising minimum starting teacher salary levels to $50,000, $60,000 and $70,000.

"New Mexico educators deserve better compensation — it's as simple as that," the governor said in the news release. "And we'll deliver it. Their tireless work for students and communities and their efforts to overcome countless challenges during the pandemic underscore the passion and commitment they have long brought to their jobs day in and day out. If New Mexico kids deserve the best, and they do, then New Mexico educators deserve the best."

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the average educator salary is $64,006. The National Education Association estimates the average teacher salary is a little over $65,000.

This is a developing story. Check back for details.