[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 82 (Tuesday, May 16, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E448-E449]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     CELEBRATING AMERICA'S TEACHERS

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. GWEN MOORE

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 16, 2023

  Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, as the mother of a teacher and 
the daughter of a teacher, I am glad to rise today to recognize Teacher 
Appreciation Week which was celebrated from May 8 through May 12, 2023.
  As another school year comes to a close in the coming weeks, we 
should take the time to applaud the men and women who are so crucial to 
ensuring our children have a quality education.
  To say it can be a thankless job, is a gigantic understatement. But 
it can also be a very rewarding career, one that changes lives forever.
  I think it would not be hard for any one of us to recall a teacher 
who had an impact and probably continues to have an impact on our lives 
today.
  And that's why its critical that we ensure that today's students and 
the generations to come have access to quality teachers who help make a 
difference in their education outcomes.
  For too long, our Nation's policies have under-valued the teaching 
profession. We can ill-afford to do that.
  We know that there are persistent and widespread teacher shortages 
nationwide every year, with thousands of teaching positions going 
unfilled.
  We can support our students by ensuring they have high quality 
teachers who can earn a decent wage.
  Recent data from the National Education Association shows that in 17 
percent of school districts, the top salary a teacher can earn (with 30 
years of experience and a Ph.D.) is $60,000.
  Nearly 9,000 school districts provide starting teacher salaries below 
$40,000.
  We need to support efforts like the American Teacher Act that I have 
cosponsored that help school districts of all sizes adequately pay 
teachers.
  This is not rocket science.
  Two-thirds of teachers, and half of teachers of color, believe higher 
salaries are the best way to attract and retain a talented and diverse 
workforce, making it the top choice of incentives.
  Other research finds that teacher salaries are the number one reason 
why teachers say they will leave and the number one reason former 
teachers say they did leave the profession.
  As we celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week, I encourage everyone to 
remember and

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thank a teacher who has made a difference in their life.
  I want to thank the teachers who shaped my life and my children's and 
grandchildren's lives.
  And I encourage my colleagues to work with me to support policies to 
help train, develop, and adequately pay our teachers.

                          ____________________