The National Education Association recently released information about teacher pay stemming from a survey of thousands of members nationwide, and while it showed wages are low across the board, New Mexico has been taking steps to alleviate this.
The NEA survey showed that teachers are technically making more money than before, but in reality, the average teacher is making $2,000 less than they were a decade ago when accounting for inflation, KOB 4 reported.
"Startling new data from NEA reports indicate we have a long way to go," NEA President Becky Pringle told KOB 4.
Pringle said that states need to take measures to increase wages and that Mississippi and New Mexico are doing just that through legislation that gives teachers raises, KOB 4 reported. Senate Bill 1 was signed into law in March and provides teachers in New Mexico with a 7% raise and a starting salary boost to $50,000.
Albuquerque Teachers Federation President Ellen Bernstein said New Mexico is making the right steps forward but that it will take several years to see how it will impact the teacher shortage in the state, KOB 4 reported.
"We have been neglecting the profession of education for so long in this country," Bernstein told KOB 4. "It is going to take not just big raises over time, but huge effort to make sure that this is a profession that is attractive and respected and supports the people in the profession to do the best job they can."