Starting salaries for Anne Arundel County Public Schools teachers will increase to $58,161 beginning July 1, 2023, under an agreement reached by the school system and the Teachers Association of Anne Arundel County, leaders of both organizations announced today.
The approximately $8,000 increase is made possible by utilizing funding provided by County Executive Steuart Pittman and the Anne Arundel County Council in the Fiscal Year 2024 budget. It represents a significant step towards achieving the minimum starting salary of $60,000 required by the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future law prior to Fiscal Year 2027 and enhances the school system’s ability to recruit high-quality teachers in a very competitive market.
“Coming together at the negotiations table to agree on how this funding would be allocated is an important part of our process that respects educators and the relationship with the Board of Education and AACPS,” TAAAC President Nicole Disney-Bates said. “Together, TAAAC and AACPS negotiated our contract and this agreement in good faith to come up with the highest wage increase we’ve seen since the recession. Pending ratification of the contract by the Board later today, we are excited to have finished this contract prior to the end of the school year.”
County Executive Pittman made the funding available – and the County Council approved it – contingent on it being used to increase salaries of first-year teachers. The Board and TAAAC were required to work out that arrangement before the money could be allocated.
“This is truly a win-win-win-win scenario,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. Mark Bedell said. “Our starting teachers win with a more competitive salary to other jurisdictions, our school system wins by being better positioned when it comes to recruiting against other school systems, and our more veteran teachers win because enhanced recruitment lightens their work load. All of this adds up to a huge win for our students.”
County Executive Pittman praised the teamwork of all parties.
“I want to thank the Council, our budget team, the auditor, the superintendent, the school board, the teachers union, and our teachers for working collaboratively throughout this process to deliver for our kids,” he said. “This is how government is intended to function.”
Separate from this agreement, TAAAC members have already ratified a contractual agreement for the upcoming school year. The Board of Education will vote to finalize that agreement at tonight’s meeting.