MSCS to inject additional $28.4M into teacher pay, bring starting teacher salary to $50K

John Klyce, Memphis Commercial Appeal
·3 min read

Memphis-Shelby County Schools teachers are poised to get a pay boost in the coming months.

During a meeting on Tuesday evening, the MSCS board unanimously approved the school district’s latest teacher memorandum of understanding, which is set to inject an additional $28.4 million into teacher salaries in the 2024-25 academic year.

The move will bring the starting annual teacher salary to $50,000, putting the district two years ahead of the state’s timeline for raising public school teachers’ pay to that mark. It will also increase the pay of teachers at a variety of experience levels.

“I am a teacher first, foremost, and forever,” said Superintendent Marie Feagins, Ed.D., during the meeting. “The magic that happens in the classroom is impossible without you. It is absolutely our privilege, and with great pride, that we’re able to bring this to the district.”

Kael Moore, a science teacher at Scenic Hills Elementary, shows his students what their art project should look like when completed.
Kael Moore, a science teacher at Scenic Hills Elementary, shows his students what their art project should look like when completed.

The MOU was developed after representatives from MSCS, the United Education Association of Shelby County, and the Memphis-Shelby County Education Association met on April 26 to discuss teacher pay during their Collaborative Conferencing session.

According to a press release, the average pay increase teachers with bachelor’s degrees will see is $4,817.84, and the average increase teachers with master’s degrees will receive is $4,793.30. The average increase for teachers with an education specialist degree is $6,361.92, and the average increase for teachers who have a doctoral degree is $9,918.48.

MSCS has also committed to increasing the pay of teachers who are above step 18 on the district’s pay scale, as this is currently the highest step teachers can attain. And it plans to add two new steps to the salary schedule for its longest-serving teachers. Teachers with 25 to 34 years of experience are expected to have an extra $3,000 added to their base pay, while teachers with 35 years of experience or more are expected to receive an extra $4,000.

More: MSCS board approves consulting contract for former interim Superintendent Toni Williams

More: How a Memphis artist uses bobcats and ladybugs to help foster youth feel more at home

Initial pay increases are expected to take effect on July 1, after the passing of the district’s annual budget.

The move comes just 30 days into the official tenure of Feagins, who initially entered the education sector as a teacher and head coach with Jefferson County Schools in 2006.

And teachers thanked her on Tuesday evening.

“Last Friday, we made it happen, together, during the collaborative conferencing. We are really excited to have you here, Dr. Feagins, as our new superintendent,” said Danette Stokes, president of the United Education Association of Shelby County, during the public comment portion of the meeting. "We appreciate the work; all the efforts you have put into everything you’re doing within our district… We were able to achieve our goal in such a short time… I want to express by gratitude for your leadership and education for making MSCS a competitive and attractive place for educators.”

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Memphis-Shelby County Schools to raise teacher salaries next year