After taking his second term as governor, John Bel Edwards wants to begin working toward raising teacher pay average to the national level over the next four years. 

“We made a 20 million dollar down payment on my number one prioroity: early childhood education,” said Edwards at his 2019 inaguartion.

Louisiana teacher pay right now averages to 50,359 dollars while the national average is 60,642 dollars.

First grade teacher, Bri Guillory, said she knew she had to make sacrifices when starting her career. 

“Living on a teacher salary means I have to be very frugal at times,” said Guillory. “We definitely should be making more for what we do here day in and day out, but overall I think you just have to be very wise with your financial decisions because things can turn left real quick.”

While Guillory would love to wake up tomorrow with a raise, she said she appreciates Edwards making early education his top priority. 

“For me, its value progress. I know things can’t happen overnight,” said Guillory. 

During Edwards’ first term, he pushed for a thousand dollar teacher pay raise, which was the educators’ first raise in a decade. 

According to the Education and Career Action Plan, other states in the country, like Texas, raised teacher salaries by 9,000 dollars. 

Guillory, born and raised in Houston, Texas said she chose to teach in Louisiana because of her love to give back.

“Once you’re a part of the Louisiana culture and you get in the schools, meet the kids and families, and coworkers. You see that you can help and you see that you can bring value into the schools, you want to do to improve it,” said Guillory.

While the teacher salary in Texas would satisfy Guillory’s bank account, right now her heart is satisfied helping Lousianas future.

 “I’m going to stay here and kinda help up Louisiana. I know Louisiana has a lot of growing to do,” said Guillory.