Missouri Teachers’ Starting Salary Gets a Raise and Other Changes Coming Soon

Missouri Senate Bill 727 brings some much-needed changes to public education in Missouri. This new law is designed to support our schools, teachers, and students by offering more resources and greater accountability. Here’s a breakdown of what it means and why it matters.

Better Pay for Teachers

Right now, teachers in Missouri have one of the lowest starting salaries in the country. Senate Bill 727 is set to change that by raising the minimum teacher pay to $40,000 by the 2025-2026 school year. Teachers with lots of experience and advanced degrees will also earn more, up to $48,000 by 2027-2028. This increase will help keep talented teachers in Missouri and make sure they’re paid more fairly for the important work they do.

To help schools make this transition, there’s a Teacher Baseline Salary Grant Fund that will help pay for these salary increases, especially for schools in areas with tighter budgets. This support will help schools make sure teacher pay improvements are both affordable and long-lasting.

New Pathways to Teaching

It can be hard to find qualified teachers for certain subjects, especially at the high school level. Senate Bill 727 makes it easier for schools to hire people with specialized knowledge, even if they didn’t take the traditional path to becoming a teacher. This law creates “subject area certification” if they successfully pass the state-approved teacher evaluation. This allows those interested in teaching a specific subject area an easier pathway into the profession.

Supporting Early Reading

We know that reading skills are super important for long-term success, and some schools need more support in this area. The Elementary Literacy Fund provides grants to help schools provide home reading programs for students in kindergarten through fifth grade. Schools can use these grants to send books to families, set up family reading activities, and keep track of students’ reading progress. This program helps young learners get a strong start by supporting literacy at home and school.

Doubling Early Childhood Programs

In Missouri Senate Bill 727, the funding for early childhood education programs in public schools has been increased significantly to support broader access and program expansion. The bill effectively doubles the existing funding allocation, prioritizing additional resources to early childhood education initiatives statewide. This investment aims to enhance educational foundations for young learners and improve readiness for primary education.

A Brighter Future for Missouri Schools

Missouri Senate Bill 727 is a big step toward making our public education system stronger and more effective. By increasing teacher pay, making it easier to enter the teaching field, supporting early reading, and doubling early childhood programs, this new law gives Missouri’s public schools more of the tools they need to help students succeed.

Read more about the changes in this handy, downloadable one-pager.