By Trisha Powell Crain 

Jefferson County math coaches and teachers prepare for a new school year and discuss ways to help students improve math skills Aug. 23, 2023 in Birmingham, Alabama. Rebecca Griesbach/AL.com

A recent survey of teachers nationwide found teachers feel underpaid, and, on average, want a $17,000 increase in pay.

Well, pay for Alabama’s public school teachers and community college educators is going up on Oct. 1 by 2% – the fifth raise in the past six years.

And some will earn more pay through bonuses and stipends based on additional credentials, the subjects they are certified to teach and whether the school is considered challenging or hard-to-staff.

Everybody gets a 2% raise

In recent years, raises pretty much kept pace with inflation. But in 2022, inflation put teachers, like many other professions, in the red.

  • 2018-19 – 2.5% pay raise (inflation was 2.3%)
  • 2020-21 – 4% pay raise – (inflation was 3.6%)
  • 2021-22 – 2% pay raise – (inflation was 6.2%)
  • 2022-23 – 4% pay raise – (inflation for the first half of 2023 was 5.4%)
  • 2023-24 – 2% pay raise

Gov. Kay Ivey, in her State of the State address in February, said her goal is for Alabama teachers “to be the highest in the Southeast by the end of my term.” On Oct. 1, the starting salary for a teacher with a bachelor’s degree will be $44,226.

Here’s a look at how salaries for teachers at various levels of experience have grown over the past five years:

Stipends and pay increases for others

School nurses are earning more than ever, with lawmakers approving a new salary schedule that provides higher pay for nurses with higher degrees. For example, in the 2022-23 school year, first-year LPNs were paid $22,181, but beginning Oct. 1, first-year LPNs will start at $33,264.

Registered nurses with a bachelor’s degree started at $42,198 last year but will start at $47,322 this year, a 5% increase over last year.

Beyond the pay raises, the nurses’ salary schedule was expanded to provide yearly increases for school nurses with nine or more years of experience.

Classified employees — which include bus drivers, substitute teachers, child nutrition workers and more — now will make at least $15 per hour, a mandate from lawmakers. It’s unclear how many employees will be paid more because of this change.

School district bonuses and additional pay

Some school districts offer signing bonuses for teachers in certain areas under certain terms. Bessemer City Schools is offering a $6,000 signing bonus for certified math, science, English and special education teachers.

Some Alabama school districts are even paying teacher interns while they’re still in college.

Coming next year

Lawmakers approved the School Principal Leadership and Mentoring Act which could pay principals up to a $15,000 stipend and assistant principals up to $7,500 stipend for completing ongoing training and support activities. The stipends will first be paid in the 2024-25 school year.

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