INDIANA, USA — Both Kentucky and Indiana are experiencing a large – and growing – teacher shortage and one of the key issues driving teachers out is low pay.
One of the people advocating for change is Mark Felix, the president of the Greater Clark Education Association. After teaching for 19 years, Felix said he decided to move into a role of leadership to “shake things up a little bit” in the education world.
“I felt a calling to jump in here and see what I could do,” he said.
Indiana has lagged behind neighboring states and the rest of the country in terms of teacher pay for years. In the 2019-20 school year, the starting salary for an Indiana teacher was around $37,500 per year, according to the National Education Association (NEA). That number is nearly $3,600 less than the national average.
Felix believes these salaries have kept school districts from attracting talented teachers, many of whom have spent more than the salaries they're being offered just to get their degrees.
Over the years, thousands of teachers across the state have demanded change, some even protesting at the statehouse to call on lawmakers for better pay.
“Our legislators are smart enough to know that they’re going to have a teacher shortage in the state if they don’t do something to correct the wage issue,” Felix said.
These protests eventually did lead to change in 2021, as legislators passed the largest pay increase in state history, according to the Indiana State Teachers Association. The new starting salary benchmark for Indiana teachers now begins at $40,000 and the legislation calls for each district to use 45% of their funding on teacher salaries.
However, Felix said this fight is far from over. While the pay increase is welcome, it’s unclear how it will stack up against rising prices and inflation – especially in a post-COVID economy. And some districts, especially those in smaller communities, may not have enough funding to reach that $40,000 benchmark for every teacher.
Felix believes this will continue to be an issue every year, with teachers negotiating with the state to get the money they need to stay in their profession. And he said he’s ready to keep fighting for them.
“What keeps me coming in every day is working to make sure my teachers get what they deserve,” he said.
Kentucky teachers will also see a pay increase this year, following similar actions by the state legislature.
Contact reporter Rob Harris at rjharris@whas11.com. Follow him on Twitter (@robharristv) and Facebook.
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