Teacher Recruitment and Retention Blue Ribbon Commission Presents Final Recommendations

10/18/22

The State Board of Education’s (State Board’s) Teacher Recruitment and Retention Blue Ribbon Commission (Commission) presented its final recommendations to the State Board at its meeting on October 18. The Commission’s recommendations fall into three categories: immediate, short-term, and long-term priorities, organized according to how long the Commission believes it will take to implement each strategy.

Immediate Priorities

  • Increase the starting teacher salary in state statute and continue funding to support the new Teacher Baseline Salary Grant program
  • Prioritize annual funding of the Career Ladder program
  • Establish sustainable funding for Grow Your Own programs
  • Encourage local education agencies (LEAs) to use the newly established Innovation Waivers to implement team-based teaching models

Short-Term Priorities

  • Establish a statewide fund to support LEAs in providing increased salaries
  • Increase support for mental health resources for teachers, school leaders, and staff
  • Provide tuition assistance for teachers by fully funding the Urban Flight and Rural Needs Scholarship Program Fund currently in statute

Long-Term Priorities

  • Provide salary supplements for filling high-needs positions
  • Offer salary supplements for teachers with National Board Certification

The full report, including more details about each recommendation, can be found on the Commission’s webpage here.

“The business leaders, legislators, and educators on the Commission took their work seriously, and we appreciate their diligence and thoughtfulness in developing these recommendations,” said Commissioner of Education Margie Vandeven. “Now is the time for the entire state to come together to find long-term solutions to increase teacher pay.”

“It is imperative that Missouri business leaders and community stakeholders understand that the teacher workforce crisis isn’t just a problem for the education community,” says Mark Walker, Chairman and CEO of TransLand, who served as Commission Chair. “The education our future workforce receives in the classroom today is highly dependent upon the quality of their teachers.”

The State Board and the Commission will now host a series of public engagement meetings to share these recommendations, further explain the educator workforce challenges at hand, and answer questions from stakeholders in attendance.

“We are on the verge of a crisis when it comes to attracting people to the teaching profession and then keeping them in the classroom,” said Board President Charlie Shields. “These public meetings are the State Board’s attempt to spread the word about the problem at hand, while also sharing the Commission’s recommendations with educators, families, and business and community leaders — anyone who wants to learn more and be a voice for change.”

All meetings will take place from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. in the following locations:

  • October 24: Knob Noster
  • October 25: Jefferson City
  • November 7: Maplewood (Maplewood Richmond Heights)
  • November 9: Independence (Fort Osage School District)
  • November 10: Chillicothe
  • November 15: Ballwin (Parkway Schools)
  • November 16: Nixa
  • November 17: Poplar Bluff

View, download, and/or print the meeting series flyer for complete details. Meetings are open to anyone who wishes to attend in person; meetings will not be livestreamed.

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