| Minneapolis teachers are negotiating for higher wages, smaller class sizes and for the district to pay for additional mental health support. According to Minnesota’s Professional Educator and Licensing Standards Board, Minneapolis teachers make an average of $71,535 per year. That’s almost $14,000 less than St. Paul teachers make on average. But the Minneapolis Federation of Teachers is not just looking to raise classroom teacher pay. They are also very focused on raising salaries for Education Support Professionals, who currently make a starting pay of only $24,000 per year. They want to bump that up to $35,000 per year. But the district says they cannot meet these demands, citing a nearly $22 million shortfall in their budget next year. And that’s despite the fact that they are currently using $75 million in one-time COVID-relief funding to prop up their budget. District leaders have warned that their shortfall will likely mean layoffs or school closures in the future. [Continue Reading]
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