Governor Reeves Signs Legislation Giving Teachers and Assistant Teachers Largest Pay Raise in State History

The legislation gives an average pay raise of $5,140 to teachers and $2,000 to assistant teachers. This major investment into Mississippi education will place average teacher starting salaries in the state ahead of the National and Southeastern averages.

“When it comes to delivering a quality education for our kids, we are getting the job done,” said Governor Tate Reeves. “These pay raises will help cement Mississippi’s competitive footing to not only incentivize educators to stay in our state, but also to proactively recruit people to move here and teach in our communities. This legislation is a stake in the ground that proudly declares Mississippi’s enduring commitment to supporting our educators and our education system, and I am ecstatic to sign it into law.”

In the last few years, Mississippi has set multiple records with state graduation rates at all-time highs and dropout rates at all-time lows.

The raises represent the continued commitment of the Reeves administration to strengthening education and equipping Mississippi children with the academic tools and resources necessary to become successful Mississippi adults.

The signing of the legislation represents the fulfillment of a promise Governor Reeves made on the campaign trail in 2019 when he committed to securing a well-deserved pay raise for Mississippi’s teachers.

Governor Reeves made the announcement during a ceremonial bill signing at Madison Central High School. The signing was broadcast on Facebook Live and can be viewed in full here.