Parson and Vandeven visit Eugene school district
EUGENE, Mo. (KMIZ)
Gov. Mike Parson and Commissioner of Education Margie Vandeven met students and staff Wednesday while touring the Cole County R-V School District.
As Parson toured the school, he made stops in the cafeteria, the school gymnasium, an art class and the school's welding and woodworking shop.
The tour comes at a tie a new state grant has been implemented that will raise teacher's base pay to $38,000.
"I have student loans to pay," an eighth-grade teacher said. "I have acquired more bills and things to pay for, like my car payments. Now, I don't have to work my weekend job anymore. I am able to focus on the kids and lesson plan."
The pay increase is still $4,000 below the 2020-2021 national average for teacher pay.
Vandeven hopes the the grant will incentivize educators to stay in their current field and attract more teachers.
Missouri National Education Association spokesman Mark Jones is glad to see the grant going through.
"We still have a lot of work to do in this state," Jones said. "Of course anytime we get more resources into our local public schools to help students that's a good thing, and we're supportive of that, but in the end of the day that's not the end. There's still a lot of work to do to make sure every student is attending a well resourced classroom."
