MESA, Ariz. — Mesa Public Schools has raised the salaries of certified teachers by 10% after the district was allocated more funds from the state.
The governing board of Arizona's largest school district voted Tuesday to approve a plan that adds extra funds to personnel salaries.
According to the plan, teacher salaries would be raised by 10% and the minimum wage for other workers would be set at $15.60 per hour.
MPS had already approved spending millions on raising staff salaries earlier this year. Back in May, the school board raised teacher salaries by 4%.
The new plan raises salaries an additional 1% plus paying out $3,000, resulting in a 10% overall raise and setting the starting teacher salary at $53,500.
Board President Jenny Richardson said she recalled the district's starting salary being about $38,000 when she first joined the board eight years ago.
"That's quite a jump in eight years," Richardson said Tuesday. "It's not enough."
District officials credited state lawmakers for making a "historic" investment in public education this last year, which has allowed MPS to significantly improve its salary schedules.
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