Most NWA teachers get raises, but state still loses teachers
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Arkansas teacher pay continues to rise, especially in NWA's largest districts, but keeping teachers in the classroom across the state is still a bigger challenge than it was before the pandemic.
The big picture: The state's teacher retention rate remained below pre-pandemic levels in the 2024-2025 school year, with about 87% sticking around compared to 90% before the pandemic, according to a report from the University of Arkansas Office for Education Policy.
- The nearly 13% leaving includes teachers departing public education, retiring or moving to a non-teaching role.
Yes, but: Retention rates are a hyper-local issue, ranging anywhere from 55% to 95% depending on the district, according to the report. Most of the lowest rates are in southern and eastern Arkansas.
- In Benton and Washington counties, Pea Ridge had the lowest retention rate during the 2024-25 school year at 68.3%, while Bentonville had the highest at 85.8% with Springdale just behind at 85.7%.
Flashback: The LEARNS Act of 2023 raised the state's minimum teacher salary from $36,000 to $50,000 and removed a requirement for teachers to be paid more based on education and experience.
- The large school districts in NWA, which already paid a minimum of around $50,000 or more, kept salary schedules guaranteeing that teachers with master's degrees would be paid more and each year of additional experience would result in higher pay.
- Some of the smaller districts that had to offer significant salary bumps under LEARNS went to hybrid models, like offering more money after five years experience, while a few paid the minimum $50,000 to everyone.
By the numbers: Starting in the 2025-26 school year, new teachers with a bachelor's degree will earn $56,326 in Bentonville, $54,100 in Springdale, $54,000 in Fayetteville and $53,250 in Rogers, according to data from the school districts.
- All are increases from what the four largest districts offered in the 2024-25 school year.
- Other districts like Siloam Springs, Prairie Grove and Elkins are bumping their minimum pay, while some of the smaller districts like Gravette, Greenland and Decatur will keep the starting pay of $50,000.
The latest: Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced this week that the state will award merit bonuses of up to $10,000 to about 4,300 educators, more than 800 of whom will receive $5,000 or more.
- Last year, the state awarded bonuses to about 3,000 educators.
- The bonuses are another provision of the LEARNS Act and can be given based on factors like teaching in a critical needs area, mentoring new teachers or improvements on students' academic assessments.
What they're saying: While the state has made meaningful strides for strengthening its teacher pipeline, continued progress will require "strengthening support for early-career teachers, improving working conditions and addressing the specific needs of high-turnover districts," according to the Office for Education Policy report.