ATLANTA — School is out for the summer, but when the bell rings in the fall, Georgia teachers will make more money than ever before. It comes after several pay bumps in the state budget since 2020. Atlanta Public Schools is taking the promise to pay more one step further.
The school district is in the process of finalizing its latest budget. It includes a significant 11% pay raise on average for teachers, which would make APS one of the top payers in the state. The pay bump marks the district's largest pay raise since 2009, according to APS Chief Human Resources Officer Nicole Lawson.
"In this market, particularly in Atlanta, it's very competitive," Lawson said. "We have neighboring school districts, and we're often competing for the same teacher talent in a very tight pool. We at least need to be either the top payer or second highest payer so I’ll retention won’t be impacted by compensation.”
Lawson said since the district-wide pay raise was placed on the table, the district had already received more qualified and experienced applicants. APS currently has 102 vacancies. Lawson said teachers can also get extra pay for specializing in top-need subjects or if they teach at certain schools.
"Teachers want to be well-compensated," Lawson said. "They also want to have an environment that allows them to grow and learn, and they also want to have a job that’s feasible for them. If you retain your teachers, you focus on that, then the less money you have to spend on recruiting and turnaround costs to hire new teachers."
11Alive spoke with a teacher entering her ninth year. She wanted to remain anonymous. She previously taught in APS and has since taught in several other districts. She said the money could make the difference in potentially buying a house for her family, which includes three children.
"I’m definitely going to start and finish because I signed my contract," the teacher said. "But if the pay isn’t comparable, then I’m going to definitely seek other districts to see if I can support my family better. I also feel like that’s why a lot of new teachers are leaving because they need a lot of mentoring and support.”
Lisa Morgan is the president of the Georgia Association of Educators. She said besides pay, the feeling of burnout has also led to a lot of teachers leaving the profession.
"We have a teacher shortage, so it is not unexpected that districts would increase salaries for educators," Morgan said. “Educators want to feel supported in their schools. They want an administration that provides them the support and resources they need within their school to do their jobs and educate children.”
With bigger districts bumping pay, Morgan fears smaller and more rural school districts with lower tax bases could lose teachers willing to drive further for more money. She said it was incumbent on the state to figure out a way to properly fund public education and adequately compensate public school teachers.
“We’ve had districts that have done sign-on bonuses; some districts have done retention bonuses," Morgan said. “We want time to teach, to be in the classroom doing what we love, and they also want time to plan to teach. Whether they live in downtown Atlanta, if they live in the suburbs or rural Georgia, we want to see all our children attending a school where they’re cared for and where they have the educators to ensure they’re able to succeed.”
And while some teachers could follow the money, the teacher with nine years experience wants to stay in her district, because she said that support matters just as much as the pay.
"I'm giving them everything I have when I go to work every day, and I need that back to pour into my own kids that I have," the teacher said. “I’m really happy where I’m at; I just need to be compensated.”
APS has a teacher salary calculator available so anyone can see how much they could potentially make. Anyone interested in learning more information about applying for openings can click here.