Over the past decade, the teaching profession in Latvia has seen a significant increase in pay. While previously teachers' salaries lagged considerably behind the average level in the economy, they are now nearly on par. In the third quarter of last year, the average salary of a teacher reached 1835 euros, according to Ir. If the previously approved schedule for salary increases is implemented, in a few years teachers will earn about 120% of the projected average salary in the country. These changes are acknowledged by representatives of the Latvian Trade Union of Education and Science Workers. According to its chairperson, Inga Vanaga, the long-standing struggle for salary increases—from protests to appeals to the Constitutional Court—has yielded results. At the same time, the wage gap between regions has also decreased. In 2017, the average salaries of teachers in the poorest rural and the wealthiest suburban municipalities differed by more than two times, but now this difference does not exceed 25%. However, the salary increases have not resolved other systemic issues. Schools still lack educators, and the average age of a teacher in Latvia has reached 50 years. This is one of the highest figures among OECD countries. Moreover, young specialists often leave the profession within the first few years of work. According to the State Audit Office, about one in three young teachers resigns within the first five years. One of the reasons cited by industry representatives is the declining prestige of the profession amid long-standing conflicts between the education system and the state. Due to the shortage of staff, schools are increasingly hiring teachers without pedagogical education. Over the past ten years, their share has grown from about 3% to nearly 7%. Many future teachers begin working while still studying. According to the State Audit Office, more than a third of students in pedagogical specialties start working in their first year, with an average workload of about 32 hours per week. This increases the risk of professional burnout even before they graduate from university. Another issue remains the insufficient support for novice teachers. A survey conducted last year showed that only 28% of teachers working in schools for less than two years received a mentor. At the same time, the gap in academic achievements between rural and urban schools persists, which, despite recent reforms, has not been significantly reduced. Thus, the increase in salaries has become one of the most noticeable successes of educational policy in recent years. However, addressing the staffing crisis and improving the quality of education solely through salary increases has not yet been achieved.