MACON, Ga. — Superintendent Dan Sims says the Bibb County School District's pay is far behind districts of similar size, and they need to be more competitive. That's why the Bibb County School District is attempting to raise the millage rate.
So it raises the question: is teacher pay in Bibb County Schools lower than most other nearby school districts?
We compared their pay to those for several other large Central Georgia districts.
Our sources are: the online pay scales for Bibb, Houston, Baldwin, Dublin, and Monroe county schools.
Let's start with the entry level salaries.
Here's the first-year salaries for teachers with just an bachelor degree.
Houston County has the highest starting pay with more than $48,000.
Bibb's is nearly $5,000 less, and they're second-lowest of the five we looked at.
Houston: $48,457
Monroe: $45,892
Dublin: $44,212
Bibb: $43,549
Baldwin: $41,092
Now, let's look at teachers with 10 years experience and a masters degree.
The gap is bigger with Houston paying $9,000 more.
Houston: $68,652
Monroe: $62,176
Dublin: $59,876
Bibb: $59,466
Baldwin: $56,396
And how about 20-year teachers with a doctorate? Houston County pays them nearly $20,000 more than Bibb.
Houston: $99,127
Monroe: $87,676
Dublin: $83,625
Bibb: $79,767
Baldwin: $78,825
In all three categories, Bibb County's pay also trails behind Monroe County and Dublin, but Baldwin County's pay is the lowest.
So we can verify: yes, Bibb County Schools pays its teachers less than most other nearby Central Georgia districts.