House Bill 2078 is bringing hope to current and future educators. Signed into effect by Governor J.B. Pritzker back in August, 2019, the bill increases the minimum teaching salary to $40,000 by the 2023-2024 school year.
At the signing, Pritzker noted the new law will fill the void of teaching and paraprofessional positions throughout the state. In the 2019-2020 school year, there were over 4,000 jobs in schools unfilled.
“In signing this legislation, we’re addressing the teacher shortage and gradually putting teachers on track to make at least $40,000 a year by the first day of school in 2023.” Pritzker shared.
Kathi Griffin, president of the Illinois Education Association, believes the salary increase will “attract and retain the best teachers for our children.”
ROE 33 Regional Superintendent, Jodi Scott spoke with WMOI/WRAM back in December stating:
“It’s good. Teachers, you know, we don’t appreciate them enough and we need to do more. And hopefully that will attract young people to our field as we start to look at the minimum teacher’s salary we start to look at, you know, benefits, training, and what teachers need. And anything we can do to support, especially new teachers coming into the field so they stay.”
The minimum salary for full-time teachers will increase to $32,076 for the 2020-2021 school year and will increase roughly $2,500 each school year until the minimum hits the $40,000 mark.
After 2023-2024, the minimum salary will increase based on the Consumer Price Index, subject to approval by the Illinois General Assembly.
