“$250 million is a good down payment on NSEA’s Time For 20 campaign,” said Dawn Etcheverry, President of the Nevada State Education Association. “Amidst unprecedented educator vacancies a year ago, NSEA launched Time For 20, calling for a 20% increase in educator pay; at least $20 per hour for the workers who make our schools run; and average class sizes of 20 students to address overcrowding.”
A December report from the Economic Policy Institute found that while there is a widespread national teacher shortage, it is not the result of an insufficient number of qualified teachers, but rather low pay and an increasingly stressful work environment. The average pay differential between teachers and like college graduates in the job market has grown to 23.5%. Last year, New Mexico raised their educator pay by an average of 20%, resulting in a significant reduction in their educator vacancies.
“While this down payment is a good start, due to the mechanics of the new funding formula, certain school districts will not have the resources for any educator raises,” Etcheverry continued. “This needs to be addressed, because every Nevada educator deserves a raise.”
It is time to respect our educators. It’s Time For 20, Nevada.
