New Mexico’s $37 million plan to recruit more teachers

By CEDAR ATTANASIO
Associated Press / Report for America

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico education officials are offering school districts $37 million to pay for the salaries and career advancement of their entry-level staff. The education department hopes teaching assistants can get pay increases and take classes toward an associated degree. Teaching assistants earn around $25,000 per year, but they could increase their income with degrees relevant to schools like education, nursing and social work. The New Mexico Teacher Fellows program announced this week offers $4,000 toward college tuition for education-related study for two years. There are around 600 unfilled teaching positions in the state, and long-term substitute teachers are also in short supply.