Los Alamos Federation of Teachers President Christine Engelbrecht
By BONNIE J. GORDON
Los Alamos Daily Post
bjgordon@ladailypost.com
A report published by the Public Education Subcommittee of the New Mexico Legislative Finance Committee in August 2021 reveals that Los Alamos teachers received the second lowest salaries from the state from 2017 to 2021.
2021 lowest average teacher salaries:
West Las Vegas: $46,391
Los Alamos: $48,717
Pojoaque: $51,080
Dexter: $51,309
Santa Rosa: $51,547
2017-2021 lowest rates of teacher salary increases:
Los Alamos: -3.1%
West Las Vegas: 1.8%
Carlsbad: 3.2%
Pojoaque: 5.9%
Dexter: 6.4%
Why is this?
“Other districts were able to get larger raises because Los Alamos has the lowest risk factors in the state,” Public Education Secretary Kurt Steinhaus explained. “Title One funds [Federal funds supporting at risk students given to states] go to those Districts with higher risk factors.”
Public Education Secretary Kurt Steinhaus
What boosts Los Alamos into the middle range of teacher salaries (around $55,000) in New Mexico is the $8 million Los Alamos Public Schools (LAPS) receives from the federal government to prop up education funding in the County to aid recruitment at Los Alamos National Laboratory, Interim Superintendent Jennifer Guy said.
“In our operational budget, 87 percent goes to salaries,” Guy said. “I’m pleased that the District has been able to raise the pay of all school employees to the level of $15 per hour.”
School Board Member Ellen Specter agreed.
“I’m proud that over the past five years, the School Board’s priority has been increasing staff salaries,” she said.
Interim Superintendent Jennifer Guy
Los Alamos faces additional difficulties around teacher salaries according to Los Alamos Federation of Teachers President Christine Engelbrecht and Vice President for Certified Staff Secilli Keeler.
“We have had a lot of retirements, so many of our teachers are at the Tier One pay level, which is the lowest,”Engelbrecht said.
“Many teachers in Los Alamos are unable to afford their rent and have to rely on help from parents, second jobs and living with roommates because of high housing costs in the town, Keeler agreed.”We have to entice people to move here with higher salaries and better benefits.”
“We’ve also got a decreasing supply of teachers,” Engelbrecht continued. “People are not becoming teachers at the rate they used to. It’s not only low salaries, it’s a change in attitude and respect for teachers by the society.”
Guy agreed that recruitment is an issue for the District.
“Recruitment has suffered, especially of special education teachers,” she said. “I’m hoping we can get a supplement for them.”
Going into negotiations Jan. 24, the union representatives are hopeful and positive.
Los Alamos Federation of Teachers Vice President for Certified Staff Secilli Keeler
“We have a good relationship with the District,” Engelbrecht said. “I’m proud to say we partnered with the District to raise everyone up to the level of $15 per hour. The District has given us small increases of 1 or 2 percent over the past few years, on top of what the state provides.”
PED leadership, LAPS and the union are pretty much on the same page about what they want to see come out of the legislative session that began Jan. 18.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is on board with plans to raise all school employees pay.
“Let’s give every single educator in this state a 7 percent raise this year, minimum,” she said in her State of the State Address Jan 18. “That would be the biggest pay bump in recent memory, and it would put us first in the region for average educator pay. They deserve it, and we can afford it, and it’s the right thing to do. Let’s also raise the starting salaries for every tier of educators, which means some teachers will see a 20 percent raise this year. And let me be clear: This kind of progress pays for itself. When we support educators, when we retain high-quality teachers and keep our schools brimming with talented professionals, our other strategic investments in New Mexico children and in public education are supported and sustained.”
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham
The 7 percent raise would be accompanied by additional increases to base educator salary levels in the state’s three-tier licensure system, raising minimum teacher salary levels to $50,000, $60,000 and $70,000, representing an average 35 percent total increase in base salary levels since the Lujan Grisham administration came into office, according to the Governor’s website.
The 7 percent would be used to bring teacher pay to the new tier levels rather than be applied on top of them, according to the governor’s office.
With Democratic majorities in both the NM House and Senate, prospects for passage look good.
“If the 7 percent passes, we’ll be on a level with surrounding states,” Steinhaus said.
“COVID stopped everyone in their tracks,” Keeler said. “Decisions take time to implement, but we need to make lasting changes.”
