MEA advocates for measures that would address staff shortages, increase pay and the pension, and support student mental health
Key Takeaways
- New minimum teacher salary of $50,000 proposal makes progress
- Pension increases, including State increases to retiree health insurance contributions close
- Fight to increase minimum support staff wages to 125% and 150% of the state minimum wage
- Staff shortages addressed with proposed new laws to create easier pathways into the career
- Student mental health addressed with proposed law to increase counselor & social worker ratios
Throughout the course of the year, the Maine Education Association worked, and is still working, to create new policies and laws that would help address the key issues you’re dealing with in your work, your schools, and with your students. Below are the topics with the solutions MEA is working towards and the status of each item.
Addressing Staff Shortages
Address Teacher Shortages Through Financial Assistance and Career Advancement Opportunities
MEA is supporting a proposal that would continue to fund a teacher residency program currently being run via the University of Maine/USM. This program, and the funding for it, would allow for recruitment and training of 80-100 new teachers a year through a high-quality, yearlong teacher residency program.
STATUS OF PROPOSAL: Awaiting funding approval from the legislature.
Invest in an Educational Technician Training Program to Address Shortages in Public Schools
This proposed law will continue funding for a high-quality Ed Tech program, Learning Facilitator Program through Eastern Maine Community College, that provides mentoring and apprenticeships for individuals wishing to serve as an Ed Tech III in our public schools. This program is currently operating but is only funded for the current year. This bill proposes to extend the program and provide funds to continue it. MEA testified in support of this legislation, understanding our schools need more ways to increase the number of support staff.
STATUS OF PROPOSAL: This bill has been voted on and approved by the House and Senate but now sits on the Special Appropriations Table and is dependent upon funding from the state.
Addressing Student Mental Health
Improve Behavioral Health Support for Students in Public Schools
With more students in need of support, this legislation would increase available funding for school counselors, social workers, and school psychologists by adjusting the educator to student ratios in the school funding formula-meaning more would be needed by law.
STATUS OF PROPOSAL: This bill has been voted on and approved by the House and Senate but now sits on the Special Appropriations Table and is dependent upon funding from the state.
Increasing Pay for ALL Educators
Increasing Support Staff Minimum Wage & Raising Minimum Teacher Salary
In MEA’s ongoing efforts to increase pay for educators, MEA proposed and supported two key pieces of legislation this year. The first would gradually lift the minimum teacher salary from the current minimum of $40,000 to $50,000 in $2500 increments beginning July 1, 2024. While Maine has made progress in teacher salaries, the state remains last in New England and way behind neighboring states.
STATUS OF PROPOSAL: This bill has been voted on and approved by the House and Senate but now sits on the Special Appropriations Table and is dependent upon funding from the state.
Support Staff Wages
The second wage proposal would increase support staff wages, setting a new minimum in law. The bill, as amended, proposes to lift the minimum wage for all school support to 125% of the state minimum wage and 150% for all ed techs. If this bill becomes law, the minimum wage for all hourly school employees would be $17.25 and the minimum for ed techs would be $20.60 per hour.
STATUS OF PROPOSAL: This compromise amendment to the support staff wage increase was passed by the Education Committee with strong bipartisan support and lowered an original proposal to lift the wages higher after concerns were raised by superintendents. This bill will positively impact wage scales for all school support staff, including ed techs and bus drivers, who are in critical need.
IMPACT OF Increasing the Starting Teacher Salary
Increasing the starting teacher salary to $50,000 would impact a majority of teachers in the state, and not just those at the bottom of the scale. By increasing the minimum, it allows negotiators to bargain for a higher wage for those at all levels of the salary scale. When MEA first helped pass a $40,000 minimum teacher salary, members across the state saw significant increases in pay up and down the salary scale as contracts were renegotiated to meet the new minimum.
Increasing the base salary doesn’t hold others back-it’s better for everyone if scales start high and stay short.
Existing Scale
Step Value = 5% of the base
| Step | Salary | Step Value |
| 0 | $40,000 | — |
| 1 | $42,000 | $2,000 |
| 2 | $44,000 | $2,000 |
| 3 | $46,000 | $2,000 |
| 4 | $48,000 | $2,000 |
| 5 | $50,000 | $2,000 |
| 6 | $52,000 | $2,000 |
| 7 | $54,000 | $2,000 |
| 8 | $56,000 | $2,000 |
| 9 | $58,000 | $2,000 |
| 10 | $60,000 | $2,000 |
| 11 | $62,000 | $2,000 |
| 12 | $64,000 | $2,000 |
| 13 | $66,000 | $2,000 |
| 14 | $68,000 | $2,000 |
| 15 | $70,000 | $2,000 |
| 16 | $72,000 | $2,000 |
| 17 | $74,000 | $2,000 |
| 18 | $76,000 | $2,000 |
Same Scale Construction – Increasing the base gradually from $40k to $50k
| Step | Salary | Step Value |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | $43,500 | — |
| 1 | $45,675 | $2,175 |
| 2 | $47,850 | $2,175 |
| 3 | $50,025 | $2,175 |
| 4 | $52,200 | $2,175 |
| 5 | $54,375 | $2,175 |
| 6 | $56,550 | $2,175 |
| 7 | $58,725 | $2,175 |
| 8 | $60,900 | $2,175 |
| 9 | $63,075 | $2,175 |
| 10 | $65,250 | $2,175 |
| 11 | $67,425 | $2,175 |
| 12 | $69,600 | $2,175 |
| 13 | $71,775 | $2,175 |
| 14 | $73,950 | $2,175 |
| 15 | $76,125 | $2,175 |
| 16 | $78,300 | $2,175 |
| 17 | $80,475 | $2,175 |
| 18 | $82,650 | $2,175 |
| Step | Salary | Step Value |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | $47,000 | — |
| 1 | $49,350 | $2,350 |
| 2 | $51,700 | $2,350 |
| 3 | $54,050 | $2,350 |
| 4 | $56,400 | $2,350 |
| 5 | $58,750 | $2,350 |
| 6 | $61,100 | $2,350 |
| 7 | $63,450 | $2,350 |
| 8 | $65,800 | $2,350 |
| 9 | $68,800 | $2,350 |
| 10 | $70,500 | $2,350 |
| 11 | $72,850 | $2,350 |
| 12 | $75,200 | $2,350 |
| 13 | $77,550 | $2,350 |
| 14 | $79,900 | $2,350 |
| 15 | $82,250 | $2,350 |
| 16 | $84,600 | $2,350 |
| 17 | $86,950 | $2,350 |
| 18 | $89,300 | $2,350 |
| Step | Salary | Step Value |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | $50,000 | — |
| 1 | $52,500 | $2,500 |
| 2 | $55,000 | $2,500 |
| 3 | $57,500 | $2,500 |
| 4 | $60,000 | $2,500 |
| 5 | $62,500 | $2,500 |
| 6 | $65,000 | $2,500 |
| 7 | $67,500 | $2,500 |
| 8 | $70,000 | $2,500 |
| 9 | $72,500 | $2,500 |
| 10 | $75,000 | $2,500 |
| 11 | $77,500 | $2,500 |
| 12 | $80,000 | $2,500 |
| 13 | $82,500 | $2,500 |
| 14 | $85,000 | $2,500 |
| 15 | $87,500 | $2,500 |
| 16 | $90,000 | $2,500 |
| 17 | $92,500 | $2,500 |
| 18 | $95,000 | $2,500 |
Pension Improvements
Stabilize the Pension Funds of the Maine Public Employees Retirement System
This bill proposes a new fund in the state budget that would set aside money at the end of each fiscal year to make pension improvements for retired teachers and state employees.
STATUS OF PROPOSAL: The bill was voted ought not to pass by the Appropriations Committee but only after several legislators commented that they wanted to include something like this concept in the budget proposal. Given the specifics of this proposal it will need to be included in the budget in order for it to become law.
Increase the State’s Share of Retired Teacher Health Insurance
This proposal lifts the amount the State would pay for retired teacher health care from the current 55% to 60% on July 1st and 65% beginning July 1,2024 for eligible retirees.
STATUS OF PROPOSAL: The House and Senate passed this bill with strong bipartisan support, and it is now awaiting funding approval.
Eliminate the Cap on Retirement Benefits for State Employees and Teachers to Which a Cost-of-living Adjustment Is Made
This bill proposes to eliminate the current COLA cap that was put in place in 2011. This cap is costing many retirees thousands of dollars in pension benefits every year.
STATUS OF PROPOSAL: The bill unanimously passed through the Labor Committee with an amendment lifting the cap so a retiree can expect the COLA on the first $40,000 in benefits. The proposal is costly, and while it was passed by the House and Senate with strong bipartisan support it is awaiting funding approval.
Help Retired Teachers and State Employees Keep Pace with Inflation by Matching the Cost-of-living Adjustment for Social Security Benefits
To help provide additional support to retirees, the proposal to keep pace with inflation provides an additional 2% cumulative COLA to all retirees. This provision will also help prevent erosion of benefits for active employees, including teachers, ed techs (IIs and IIIs) and state employees and help retirees right now for as long as they live.
