Teachers would be paid a minimum salary of $70,000 in Massachusetts if bill becomes law
BOSTON - There's a new push to establish a minimum salary for public school teachers and other educators in Massachusetts that would allow them to earn a living wage.
"An Act Relative To Educator Pay," backed by the Massachusetts Teachers Association, would guarantee a salary of $70,000 a year for teachers and $55,000 a year for education support professionals. The bill calls for another pay hike in 2030, at which time teachers would be paid $80,000 annually and support staff would get a raise to $65,000.
The term "education support professionals" includes classroom aides, custodians, cafeteria workers and bus drivers. The state would reimburse school districts for the added cost of higher salaries, the bill says.
Teacher salaries in Massachusetts
According to the National Education Association, the average teacher starting salary in Massachusetts was just over $51,000 in 2024. The average salary of all teachers in the state is more than $92,000.
In an unsuccessful effort to establish higher minimum salaries last year, the MTA said most education support professionals make less than $30,000 a year, even though 80% have a college degree.
The push for more money comes at a time when hiring and retaining teachers is difficult. There were nearly 6,000 open positions listed in Massachusetts schools when classes began last fall.
Push to legalize teacher strikes in Massachusetts
The Boston Globe reports that another legislative priority of the MTA is to legalize teacher strikes in Massachusetts.
Teacher strikes are currently illegal under state law, and recent strikes have resulted in big fees for the union.
Gov. Maura Healey has previously told WBZ-TV that she's against changing the law to let teachers strike, saying "kids have been through enough."