New Mexico is launching a new initiative to increase wages for early childhood teachers, directors and staff.
The new state program will ensure that pre-K teachers make the same as their K-12 counterparts, according to KRQE.
“I feel like it’s super beneficial, and it’s amazing to have these children come in that need more support, in the social-emotional part of the development and just kind of see them flourish and grow,” Mikila Crespin, a pre-K teacher from Laguna Pueblo, told KRQE News.
Eligibility payments are determined by three categories based on the level of higher education a pre-K teacher has and how many years they've worked in New Mexico pre-K.
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The station reported that Crespin is one of the first New Mexico teachers to qualify for the new wage increase program. The state has estimated that approximately 133 teachers, 46 directors and 38 teaching assistants will be eligible to apply for the new monthly payments beginning this month.
Eligibility payments are determined by three categories based on the level of higher education a pre-k teacher has and how many years they've worked in New Mexico pre-K.
This initiative is intended to help the state attract and retain teachers during an ongoing shortage of early childhood teachers. New Mexico estimates that has a current shortfall of approximately 2,000 early childhood teachers, directors and other professionals, according to KRQE.
