DAYTON, Ohio-House Bill 411, introduced in February, aims to increase teacher salaries in response to staffing shortages and the widening income gap between teachers and other similarly educated professionals. Kysha Hancock from Dayton 24/7 Now spoke with State Rep. Joseph Miller, the bill’s primary sponsor, and representatives from local teacher organizations to discuss the need for the raise. Neil Mahoney of the Dayton Education Association highlighted a significant decline in students pursuing teaching careers since the COVID-19 pandemic, with a 30-40% drop in university graduates entering education. He supports the bill to help retain and attract teachers.
