Teacher pay raise heads to governor

The Arkansas Senate on Thursday approved a measure that would implement Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s plan to raise the state’s minimum teacher salary by $4,000 over the next four years.

The Senate voted 35-0 to send House Bill 1145 by Rep. Bruce Cozart, R-Hot Springs, to the governor.

Under the legislation, a starting teacher with a bachelor’s degree who now makes $31,800 a year would make a minimum of $32,800 next year and $36,000 by 2023.

The minimum teacher salary schedule ranks in the middle among southern states, but under HB1145, only Alabama would have a higher minimum teacher salary range, assuming other states don’t raise their salaries. The raises will be reflected throughout the minimum salary schedule for teachers of all experience levels.

Hutchinson made raising the lowest level of teacher pay a priority in his successful re-election campaign last year and legislative agenda for this year. The governor has identified $60 million in state funds to help 168 school districts meet the new standard. The state has 238 school districts.

Senate Democratic leader Keith Ingram of West Memphis said the Earle School District is projected to have a $200,000 shortfall and the Lee County School District is forecast to have an almost $250,000 shortfall after four years under this bill.

Senate Education Committee Chairwoman Jane English, R-North Little Rock, said the Legislature’s educational adequacy committee will study that issue.