Governor signs law setting minimum teacher salary at $40,000

Posted on August 22, 2019
The governor said school districts should be able to comply with a new law that – by the year 2023 – the minimum salary for teachers will be $40,000. (Dave Dahl/WJBC)

 

By Dave Dahl

SPRINGFIELD – As a second-year teacher, Bentley Stewart makes about $34,000. She says a new law setting a minimum salary for teachers — $32,076 a year from now and $40,000 four years from now — will help.

“I grew up in Jacksonville. I graduated from Jacksonville High School. After college, I came back to Jacksonville to teach and to raise my own family,” Stewart said at a bill-signing ceremony Thursday in the governor’s office. “This law gives me hope. It shows me that Illinoisans respect educators and the work that we do.”

In addition to the $32,076 for next year, the minimum will be $34.576 for 2021-22, $37,076 for 2022-23, and $40,000 for 2023-24.

Gov. JB Pritzker denies the new law is an “unfunded mandate,” considering the additional money the state is now giving local districts.

Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected]

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