When you think back to those who have most influenced your life, chances are that one of them was a teacher.

Miss Cobb, my fourth grade teacher, taught us fractions, how to read to learn, geography and the history of our state, among many other things. She challenged us to work hard and dream big. Teachers have had this impact on students for generations. We need to ensure the next generation of teachers are ready and willing to inspire our students. To do that, Maine will need to address its teacher workforce crisis. Too many educators are leaving the field, and not enough of our young adults are considering teaching as a profession.

Our state has an unprecedented number of teachers leaving the profession, with 533 leaving in the 2022-2023 school year – a figure that nearly doubled from the 2015-2016 school year. Departing teachers cite low pay and challenging working conditions as the leading causes for leaving their profession. As a result, schools in Maine are facing a shortage of qualified teachers.

Maine’s starting salaries for young teachers is the lowest in New England. University of Maine Early Childhood Education student Liam Anderson told the Legislature’s Education and Cultural Affairs Committee that he’s always wanted to make a positive impact in the lives of others and believes teaching is his way to do that. However, he’s more than aware of the low salary.

“At 20 years old, I have chosen to dedicate my life to teaching. Becoming the best educator I can be so our children can thrive in a better community they are learning to be a part of. But I am here today to tell you I cannot do that if I can’t support myself. We can’t do that if we can’t afford to take care of our most basic essentials,” Anderson said.

Last year, I sponsored two bills to help reduce the workforce shortage and invest in future teachers. The first is L.D. 1608, which has been signed into law. This law provides stipends to aspiring teachers at University of Maine System schools to teach in the classroom, which provides invaluable experience for the student and fills a vacancy at the school.

This program makes strides to fill critical teacher shortages. This school year, the Maine Teacher Residency Program has placed 37 educators in 21 schools from Fort Kent to Kennebunk and many in between.

The second bill I introduced to help reduce the shortage is L.D. 1064, which would set the minimum teacher salary at $50,000. This is still low comparatively to other New England states, but it gets us closer to keeping up with inflation and making sure these dedicated professionals are paid what they deserve.

Quality teachers are a necessity and a common good for our schools and communities. Take it from Maya, a sophomore at Brunswick High School, who shared in committee testimony how important her teachers are to her.

“I would not be the person I am today, I would not be standing here without all of my Maine teachers,” she said. “Without teachers, our society would quite literally not be able to function, yet they are paid so unfairly.”

College students are making career decisions right now. Many are aware of the low pay for teachers, especially entry-level teachers. If we’re going to keep these qualified educators and entice the next wave of young teachers to stay in Maine, we must invest in on-the-job programs such as the Maine Teacher Residency Program and increase the minimum starting salary to $50,000.

As the Legislature begins its work this session, I will continue to advocate for increased teacher pay to ensure we attract and retain quality educators, a benefit for Mainers of all ages.

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