Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey signs TEAMS Act into law
Alabama Governor Kay Ivey signed into law the Teacher Excellence and Accountability for Mathematics and Science Act.
The new legislation is designed to fill every Alabama school with credentialed math and science teachers.
The law states that middle and high school math and science teachers could earn up to an additional $20,000 annually.
“The quality of education in this state, particularly in rural, hard-to-staff areas, has to be solved to properly prepare our children for their futures in an ever-increasing STEM-based economy,” said Ivey.
“With the focus on a technology-based economy for the future of Alabama, this new pay scale provides a unique recruiting opportunity for Alabama’s schools,” said State Superintendent of Education Dr. Eric G. Mackey.
Under the act, each district may employ one TEAMS math and one TEAMS science teacher for every 105 students in grades 6-12. That would equal 7,000 teachers statewide.
Both House and Senate sponsors and supporters said TEAMS is a step in the right direction for Alabama’s future and its ability to train an ever-evolving, technology-forward workforce.
“The TEAMS Act will not only allow Alabama to attract more math and science teachers and enroll current teachers into the TEAMS program, but also to prepare our state to remain competitive in the recruitment of STEM jobs," said Sen. Donnie Chesteen.