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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4509 FILED ON: 8/2/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 4180
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Erika Uyterhoeven
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act relative to educator pay.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Erika Uyterhoeven27th Middlesex8/2/2023 1 of 3
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4509 FILED ON: 8/2/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 4180
By Representative Uyterhoeven of Somerville, a petition (subject to Joint Rule 12) of Erika
Uyterhoeven relative to establishing minimum salaries for teachers and education support
professionals. Education.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
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An Act relative to educator pay.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 Chapter 71 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020 Official Edition, is hereby
2amended by striking out sections 40, and inserting in place thereof the following section:-
3 Section 40. (a) In a school district as defined in section 2 of chapter 70 of the general
4laws, or an educational collaborative formed under the provisions of section 4E of chapter 40,
5the compensation of each teacher, as defined in chapter 32 of the general laws and pursuant to
6regulation 807 CMR 4.00, except a person in training and except a person employed as a
7temporary substitute, and the compensation of each “education support professional,” shall be at
8a rate of not less than sixty-five thousand dollars for teachers and a rate of not less than forty five
9thousand dollars for education support professionals for the school year commencing after July
10first, two thousand and twenty-four. The compensation paid to such teachers and education
11support professionals shall be deemed to be fully earned at the end of the school year, and
12proportionately earned during the school year. Payment of such compensation may be deferred to 2 of 3
13the extent that equal payments may be established for a twelve month period including amounts
14payable in July and August subsequent to the end of the school year.
15 (b) Beginning in fiscal year 2025, school districts and educational collaboratives, as
16defined herein, shall be reimbursed by the commonwealth for the cost increases incurred by such
17school districts and educational collaboratives as a result of increasing teacher and education
18support professional compensation pursuant to this section. Reimbursements for the cost
19increases shall be distributed in accordance with this paragraph; provided, however, that no
20funds for said reimbursements shall be deducted from funds distributed pursuant to chapter 70 or
21other existing state appropriations. The reimbursement amounts to each school district and
22educational collaborative shall be equal to 100 per cent of the increase in the year in which the
23increase occurs; 60 per cent of that amount in the first year following; 40 per cent of that amount
24in the second year following; and 20 per cent of that amount in the third year following.
25 (c) For the purposes of this section, the term “education support professional” shall
26include, but not be limited to, a paraeducator, tutor, family liaison, interpreter, translator,
27qualified practitioner, as defined in the school-based Medicaid reimbursement program, clerical
28services worker, custodial and maintenance services worker, food services worker, health and
29student services worker, security services worker, skilled trades worker, technical services
30worker, and transportation services worker employed by a school district; provided, however,
31that the term shall not include a teacher, as defined in chapter 32 of the general laws, or any other
32employee of a school district or educational collaborative whose role requires certification under
33section 38G of this chapter or under chapter 74 of the general laws. 3 of 3
34 (d) Beginning on July 1, 2029, and for each subsequent five-year period, the executive
35office of labor and workforce development shall calculate an adjusted minimum compensation
36rate for teachers and education support professionals by increasing the current rate of
37compensation by the rate of inflation for the previous five-year period. Said adjusted rate of
38compensation shall be calculated to the nearest cent using the consumer price index for urban
39wage earners and clerical workers or a successor index, for the 60 months prior to July 1 of the
40subsequent five-year period, as calculated by the United States department of labor. Each
41adjusted minimum compensation rate calculated under this section shall take effect on the
42following September 1.
43 (e) Effective September 1 of the five-year period starting on July 1, 2029, and effective
44for each subsequent five-year period thereafter, the compensation rates shall be adjusted as laid
45out in subsection (d) and be eligible for reimbursement under subsection (b) of this section.
46 (f) The implementation of this section shall be consistent with the provisions of chapter
47150E of the General Laws, including but not limited to the duty to bargain on wages, hours and
48working conditions, or any agreements entered into in accordance with said chapter 150E of the
49General Laws. Nothing in this section shall be construed as limiting a school district or
50educational collaborative from providing teachers or educational support professionals with
51compensation that is higher than the minimum amounts as defined herein.