Matt Gress Announces
“Pay Teachers First” Plan

PHOENIX – State legislative candidate Matt Gress, a former school teacher, announced the “Pay Teachers First Plan” today to give every Arizona public school teacher a $10,000 raise – with 100 percent of the new state dollars going directly to the teachers, rather than bureaucracy, and significantly boosting starting teacher pay.

Gress is teaming up on the proposal with a number of other candidates and state legislators, including: Sen. T.J. Shope (LD 16), Rep. Steve Kaiser (LD 2), Rep. Teresa Martinez (LD 16), Rep. Justin Wilmeth (LD 2), Republican State Representative candidate Julie Willoughby (LD 13), Republican State Senate candidate David Richardson (LD 12), and Madison School Board President Dr. Marcus Osborn.

“As a former teacher, I can tell you – one of the most important factors in the academic development of a child is the teacher at the front of the classroom,” Gress said. “We set our students up for success by attracting and retaining amazing teachers. When I was a teacher, I struggled to make ends meet and was out-of-pocket many resources needed for my students. Teachers don’t go into this profession to get rich, but they also aren’t expected to live in poverty, either. Our students rightfully deserve the best education, and our teachers rightfully deserve to be valued. I am proud to team up with dedicated public servants and prominent education leaders to strengthen Arizona schools.”

DETAILS OF THE PLAN: 

• Pay Teachers, Not Bureaucracy:

  • Under the “Pay Teachers First Plan,” every Arizona teacher would receive an immediate and permanent $10,000 increase in their pay.

  • Raising teacher pay on an across-the-board, dollar basis as compared to a percentage increase, allows this initiative to more aggressively increase starting teacher pay – serving as another tool for school leaders to attract a new pipeline of teachers into the classroom.

  • This funding plan follows several successful years of putting billions of dollars in additional state funding into K-12 schools. With previous investments, many schools failed to fully fund teacher salaries as intended by the Legislature, Governor and the vast majority of Arizona voters. A report by the Goldwater Institute states school district spending on teacher salaries has fallen from 37% to 28% since 1980; school districts only pay teachers about a quarter of their budget.

• Budget Accountability:

  • In order to protect teacher investments from being rerouted, the proposal would include companion legislation that mandates districts and charters use 100% of these new state dollars to boost teacher salaries by $10,000 with the funds appropriated by the Legislature and legally certify that they ultimately did so.

  • Additionally, the plan requires school budgets to prioritize school funding for teachers first before any other spending can be budgeted – ensuring Arizona students receive the best education possible.

• Parental and Taxpayer Transparency:

  • As part of the proposal, schools must report much more detailed, school-by-school level information to the Auditor General regarding academics, budget and procurement in order to qualify for the extra pay raise, promoting financial transparency and connecting spending with academic outcomes. Hard working parents deserve clear-cut information about their child’s progress and school performance. And Arizonans deserve to know how their hard-earned tax dollars are spent.

• Fiscally responsible:

  • According to Arizona’s Joint Legislative Budget Committee, June 2022 revenue is 11.4% above June 2021 numbers. And General Fund revenues are 17% above the prior year, which means there is significant budget capacity to support and sustain this critical investment in our teaching workforce, WITHOUT raising taxes.

WHAT THIS PLAN MEANS FOR TEACHERS: 

• In Legislative District 4, Madison Elementary, Paradise Valley Unified and Scottsdale Unified have starting salaries for teachers with bachelor’s degrees that range between $43,280-$46,052 – this legislation would raise starting pay by $10,000.

• Because the proposal includes all teachers, then the overall average teacher pay of $58,863 in Madison, $55,713 in Paradise Valley and $62,787 in Scottsdale Unified would increase by $10,000 as well.

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT:

Madison Elementary School Board President Dr. Marcus Osborn

“We all say education is priceless. And the best way to demonstrate this is to act upon a plan that shows real investment. I am so proud and excited to work with ideal public servants like Matt Gress, and other legislators and candidates who have endorsed this plan, to pass legislation that will positively impact millions of Arizonans–not just now, but future generations. This $10,000 increase to teacher salaries will be monumental. And these are the fighters we need in office to get this done. I know them. I trust them. They will NOT stop until our education system is the best of the best. And this is a great place to start. Let’s get this across the finish line and give teachers a raise.”

State Sen. T.J. Shope (LD 16)

“As Vice-Chair of the Senate Education committee, I heard numerous calls for action to improve our state’s education system. Parents are fed up with their kids not getting the education they deserve. And while we took many impactful strides last year to improve Arizona’s education system, like universal school choice and the single largest increase in per-pupil funding in State history, we need to continue the momentum next January. It starts by making teacher pay our focus and ensuring taxpayer dollars get to them directly. We will no longer stand idly by for school boards to make decisions that don’t reflect what Arizonans want. We will invest in the future of Arizona.”

State Rep. Teresa Martinez (LD 16)

“We need to fight for our educators. To fight for our schools. And to fight for our kids’ futures. Teachers have earned a pay raise. We are going to do whatever it takes to make a difference in our state’s education system.”

State Rep. Steve Kaiser (LD 2)

“I am ecstatic to work with my fellow Republicans on a legislative plan to increase teacher pay across the state of Arizona. The Republican Legislature recognizes the disastrous effects of Biden's economy on our teachers and their families. This raise will allow our teachers to keep doing what they love and impact many more young scholars in a positive way!”

State Rep. Justin Wilmeth (LD 2)

“Teachers are leaders–they strive to make a positive difference in our communities and in our lives. We need to give back. I am proud to join my Republican colleagues in fighting for a well-deserved pay raise for Arizona teachers.”

State Senate Candidate David Richardson (LD 12)

“As a first-generation college graduate, I can truly say good teachers changed my life. Increasing teacher salaries will leave Arizona better for generations, because when we fight for our teachers, students in our communities will have more opportunities to succeed. This shouldn’t be a partisan issue. It’s simply about doing what’s right for Arizona.”

State Representative Candidate Julie Willoughby (LD 13)

“We need to do more for our teachers so they can continue to work hard for our kids and our communities. Improving our state’s education system is not a partisan issue. The Pay Teachers First Plan is a no-brainer–it’s common sense. Arizonans deserve legislators that will do the right thing and investing in our state’s teachers is the right thing.”