A fight looms for teacher salaries, even as WA approves pay hike

Teacher salary increases are now law in Washington State and will impact the next school year.

Governor Jay Inslee signed Senate Bill 5650, which will bring a 3.7% salary hike for teachers to help with inflation. However, it comes as many districts statewide are struggling with budget shortfalls.

The process for teachers to get raises is far from simple. The Washington Education Association points out all funding goes to a district, and even if it’s earmarked, it can be up to the district to decide how to spend that money.

KIRO7 spoke with Hilari Anderson, a longtime teacher at Kentridge High School who now mentors new teachers for the district. She was also part of the bargaining team last year when teachers went on strike for nine days.

“In our own bargaining team, we really had to fight for that cost of living adjustment. It was not a given,” Anderson said. “Whether that pass-through money actually gets into the pockets of their staff – it’s just another way educators have to fight for what they deserve,” she said. The final contract included any inflation adjustments the state passed, plus one percent of the previous year’s salary.

The Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) says minimum teacher base salaries as listed in its Budget Driver Summary, last updated May 1, 2023, are set for $75,419.

However, entry-level Kent teachers next school year will be making just over $67,000 – and that includes the bargained for inflation increase.

Base pay for Seattle teachers in the 2023-2024 school year will be $74,514, according to documents from Seattle Public Schools.

People in Kent spoke with KIRO 7 and said they agree teachers should be paid well.

“I think teachers deserve more pay,” said Marilyn Stephens, a lifelong Kent resident with two grandkids at Kentridge.

But they also acknowledge that school districts are grappling with budget shortfalls.

“They need more along with everyone else,” said Myisha Christian, a parent. “You’ve got to rob Peter to pay Paul,” she said.

Districts like Bellevue, Olympia, Everett, and Shoreline are slashing positions –  some even closing schools. The budget problems come as temporary pandemic federal funding ends, and as more students are leaving public schools.

The Kent school district won’t be filling jobs as people retire and is already warning the budget situation will become more dire in 2024-2025, saying “further reductions will likely be necessary.”

Teachers are sensing that the next rounds of negotiations will be tough.

“Our districts I think are going to want to be as frugal as possible and that’s going to create tensions among employees who deserve to be paid as professionals they are,” Anderson said.

The Kent School District is not negotiating the next school year, but districts with contracts up include Northshore, Lake Washington, Bethel, and Meridian school districts to name a few.

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