93.9 The Eagle – The News and Talk of Columbia, MO
Missouri’s governor received a standing ovation from lawmakers last week when he called for full funding of the state’s k-12 education foundation formula.
Governor Mike Parson (R) wants lawmakers to continue to invest in children and education.
“Our students deserve a quality education and their parents demand it. And that is why we are again fully funding the (Missouri) foundation formula,” Parson says.
The governor also wants to increase the baseline salary for new Missouri teachers to $38,000. He says the Show-Me State ranks 50th in the nation for starting teacher pay.
“And half of our new teachers leave the profession by their fifth year. This is unacceptable, and we must do better,” Parson told lawmakers during his State of the State address.
The governor wants to see teacher pay increased “in every corner of the state.”
Per Missouri statute, the minimum teacher salary is currently $25,000. Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) spokeswoman Mallory McGowin tells 939 the Eagle that Missouri is now 50th in the nation in average starting teacher salary, at $32,970.
The governor’s budget blueprint has been sent to the Legislature, where it will be discussed in committees first.
