Teacher-pay bill goes to governor

The Senate approved a bill Monday to increase the minimum teacher salary.

House Bill 1155 by Rep. Bruce Cozart, R-Hot Springs, passed 34-0. It was sponsored in the Senate by Sen. Jane English, R-North Little Rock. The bill heads to the governor for final approval.

The bill would increase the minimum teacher salary from $30,122 to $31,400 in the 201718 school year and $31,800 in the 2018-19 school year.

The change was recommended by the House and Senate Education committees in their educational adequacy report.

The committees also recommended a public school spending increase of $45.6 million, or about 1.5 percent, with much of the money intended for teacher salaries. The state spends more than $3 billion on public schools.

— Brian Fanney