New Mexico governor seeks pay increase for public schools

By MORGAN LEE
Associated Press

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham says she will pursue a 7% pay increase for educators and staff at K-12 public schools as well as higher minimum salaries for teachers at various career stages. The proposal announced Wednesday would boost salaries for more than 50,000 public education workers across the state at an annual cost of about $280 million. The Legislature convenes in January to craft a general fund spending plan for the fiscal year that starts in July 2022. The governor’s office estimates that the proposed changes would increase the statewide average for teacher pay to just over $64,000 a year.