Audit report sparks legislative discussion to boost pay for teacher assistants in 2026 session

JACKSON, Miss. by Jeremy Pittari (Magnolia Tribune) — A recent report from Mississippi State Auditor Shad White is shedding light once again on teacher and assistant teacher pay as funds used for administrative purposes remain high. 

The most recent report from White’s office demonstrates how cuts to administrative expenses could allow the state to provide raises to assistant teachers.

“I was alarmed to learn from our analysts that assistant teachers in Mississippi are making less than state employees working as janitors,” said White. “My office has written reports about the need to cut the fat and pay teachers more, but we also need to talk about getting dollars to assistant teachers, because money spent in the classroom makes the biggest difference for our students.”

The Legislature has raised teacher pay periodically over the last decade.

Within fully staffed classrooms students often learn from certified teachers with help from teacher assistants. Certified teachers must meet the state’s required level of education and complete a licensure assessment as well as other requirements based on their individual route to licensure.

A teacher with no experience and the lowest level of certification starts out making at least $41,500 annually in Mississippi, according to the state Department of Education’s latest salary schedule for Fiscal Year 2026.

The requirements for teacher assistants are less intensive than certified teachers, leading to a lower pay scale.

According to U.S. News and Report, the median salary for a teacher assistant in 2023 nationwide was $35,550. Teacher assistants in Mississippi are currently provided a base salary of $17,890, with local districts providing supplements. The Auditor’s report states that the average pay for an assistant teacher in Mississippi is $22,840, compared to the entry-level K-12 school administrator salary of $68,830 and the average K-12 administrator salary of $84,710.

“The Auditor’s report is exactly what I thought over the past few years as chairman,” said House Education Committee Chair Rob Roberson (R). “Common sense dictates that money on administration is typically not the best practice for K-12 spending. The issues we are dealing with to reduce the administration spending is difficult to address because it’s just the way we have done things in the past and change is tough.”

A move by the Legislature three years ago increased the base salary of educators in the state, while including an increase for teacher assistants of $2,000 annually. The Auditor report is calling for an additional legislative investment of $67.3 million to provide an average raise of $6,000 for teacher assistants. 

Mississippi’s education leaders have noted the need for more teachers and have often cited low pay as one cause for the shortage.

Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann (R) indicated in a statement to Magnolia Tribune that lawmakers will again consider teacher and teacher assistance raises in the near term.  

“A teacher pay raise, including all K-12 teachers and educators in our community colleges and Institutions of Higher Learning, has been and remains a top priority of mine heading into the 2026 legislative session,” Hosemann said. “The Legislature passed the largest teacher pay raise in Mississippi history in 2022. It is time to address again the compensation of those who are educating the next generation.”

Rep. Roberson previously outlined a number of goals for the upcoming session, one of which included the possible consolidation of school districts statewide to reduce the number of superintendents and/or administrators. 

“We know that we must put our children first and push forward to reform. We in the education committee are committed to help or children, parents and teachers do the job of educating children,” Roberson stated.

Magnolia Tribune first published this article. Vicksburg Daily News republished it here under a Creative Commons license.