It is always nice to hear that Midland ISD is giving more to those working in the school district. Every employee will receive a $2,000 stipend. That’s something most people in Midland can appreciate.
The stipends are a $6 million gesture from the school board to its employees. The stipend is possible because of a 2021-22 budget surplus and through the state’s recent action to adjust in-person attendance funding for this school year. The stipend will be paid at the end of May, according to the district.
It is exciting that the district continues to give to its staff. Superintendent Angelica Ramsey also told the Reporter-Telegram on Monday that a budget proposal for the 2022-23 also includes another salary hike for teachers and support staff.
In the proposal, starting teacher pay would increase to $58,500. Support staff pay would start at $13.50 an hour.
It is important to note that Ramsey continues the work by former Superintendents Ryder Warren and Orlando Riddick in boosting the salaries of teachers and support staff.
Since 2010, the starting salary for an entry level teacher has increased from around $40,050 to $57,500 during the 2021-22 school year. That is an increase of 43.57 percent. And when the starting pay increases, the pay for every teacher increases
Increasing the minimum support staff pay to $13.50 would be a considerable accomplishment for a district that was paying a minimum level of $10 an hour in 2020.
This financial boost for teachers and staff is a win for education in Midland. Higher salaries increase the chances Midland ISD staff will have more candidates for positions, and that’s a good thing.
The hope here is Midland ISD beats Ector County ISD to become the first West Texas school district to pay starting teachers $60,000 a year. That would be an accomplishment that speaks volumes about how much our community values its teachers. It also would be strong message to teachers looking to start their career that Midland is serious about an academic turnaround. Midland already has a higher average teaching salary when compared to other districts around the region. The list is Midland ISD ($62,208), ECISD ($59,080), Greenwood ISD ($57,091), Abilene ISD ($53,761), Lubbock ISD ($51,764) and San Angelo ISD ($50,186).
The point here is Midland needs to be able to recruit the best teachers possible to fulfill the mission of preparing students for college and career, and a potential $58,500 starting salary would not only likely continue to be the highest in West Texas but would be competitive around the state.
Consider Midland’s average apartment rent is more than $1,000 below the average around the state, according to ApartmentList.com, and that compensation package looks that much more attractive.
There are some who will say MISD is still lagging, and yes, the Midland ISD board will not make every single person happy. However, the metrics showed Midland ISD has made great strides – not only this week but over the past 12 years.
Midland ISD deserves credit here for showing teachers the respect they deserve.
