Back To School: GOP Governors Lead The Way On Teacher Pay

Over A Dozen Republican Governors Enacted Raises For Hardworking Teachers This Year

Across the country, thousands of teachers are returning to their classrooms and receiving larger paychecks than they did a year ago. Republican governors are leading the way on enacting bold initiatives to ensure that teachers are better compensated for their hard work.  

According to Education Week, Republicans made up a clear majority of the more than 20 governors who proposed teacher pay raises this year – and they delivered on their promises. Over a dozen Republican governors kept their word and worked with their legislatures to get the job done.

Republican governors are focused on increasing opportunity for the people of their state, and these actions make certain that states are retaining and recruiting the best and brightest teachers to educate the next generation.

ALABAMA:

• Montgomery Advertiser: Education Budget With Teacher Pay Raises Headed To Gov. Ivey
  • In June, Governor Kay Ivey signed into law legislation providing teachers with a 4% pay increase, teachers will begin to see these increases reflected on their paychecks beginning in October 2019.

ARIZONA:

• The Republic: Ducey Proposes 20 Percent Pay Increase For Teachers By 2020
  • In 2018, Governor Doug Ducey announced a plan to increase teacher salaries by 20 percent by 2020. The governor’s plan increased teacher salaries by 10% for the beginning of the 2018 school year, and an additional 5% increase was provided for the 2019 school year in this year’s budget. 

ARKANSAS:

• Arkansas Democrat Gazette: Arkansas Governor Signs Measure To Raise Teacher Salaries
  • Increasing teacher salaries was an important pillar of Governor Asa Hutchinson’s reelection campaign. The governor delivered by enacting legislation to provide teachers earning the minimum salary in Arkansas to receive $1,000 raises for four years in a row.

FLORIDA:

• WPTV: Gov. DeSantis Focuses On Teacher Pay, Student Success…
  • Nearly $285 million was authorized by Governor DeSantis for teacher bonuses under the “Best and Brightest” program. Due to an influx of funding, teachers could see $2,500 in retention bonuses, and $1,000 for teaching effectiveness.

GEORGIA:

• Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Kemp Signs Record Budget With $3,000 Raises For Georgia Teachers
  • Governor Brian Kemp signed a state budget which included over $600 million towards $3,000 pay raises for Georgia’s teachers. Governor Kemp has insisted that the $3,000 increase is a “down payment” on his campaign promise to increase teacher salaries by $5,000.

IDAHO:

• Idaho State Journal: Gov. Brad Little Signs Bill Raising Teacher Pay To $40K Over Course Of Two Years
  • When Governor Brad Little entered office he made it clear that boosting teacher pay was a “high priority” of his administration. The governor made good on his promise, by signing legislation to increase starting teacher pay from $35,800 to $40,000 over the next two years.

MISSISSIPPI:

• Associated Press: Gov. Bryant Signs $1,500 Pay Raise For Teachers
  • Building upon $2,500 in raises teachers received from legislation enacted in 2014, Governor Phil Bryant signed into law legislation giving Mississippi teachers an additional $1,500 raise.

NORTH DAKOTA:

• KXNET: ND Governor Calls For Teacher Salary Increase
  • Governor Burgum signed into law a budget that funds North Dakota’s priorities, which included an additional $163 million for education, which helps support teacher pay increases.

OHIO:

• Associated Press: The Proposal Increases The Minimum Salary For Ohio Teachers
  • Under Governor Mike DeWine, the minimum starting salary for teachers with a bachelor degree have been increased by $10,000.

OKLAHOMA:

• Tulsa World: Average $1,220 Teacher Pay Raise Included In $8.2 Billion Budget Agreed To By Governor, Legislative Leaders
  • Teachers in Oklahoma enter the 2019-2020 school year receiving an average salary increase of $1,200, thanks to Governor Kevin Stitt. The additional investment in teacher pay, means that on average Oklahoma teachers are some of the best paid in the region.

SOUTH CAROLINA:

• The State: Gov. Henry McMaster Backs 5% Teacher Pay Raise, Rebating $200 Million To SC Taxpayers
  • Governor Henry McMaster followed through on his promise to provide South Carolina teachers with a pay increase. The budget enacted by the governor provides nearly $160 million to provide pay raises to the more than 50,000 teachers in the state, as well as a $3,000 increase for the minimum salary for a teacher.

TENNESSEE:

• Chalkbeat: Tennessee Bumps Base Teacher Pay Up To $36,000
  • This past legislative session, Tennessee legislators heeded Governor Bill Lee’s call to increase teacher pay, by providing an additional $71 million for increases, this was in addition to increasing the salary for new teachers by $1,000.

TEXAS:

• Associated Press: Texas Governor Greg Abbott Announces $1.6B In Teacher Raises
  • Action taken by Governor Greg Abbott will ensure that teachers with at least five years of experience will receive a salary increase of $4,000. In addition to salary increases, exceptional teachers will have the opportunity to receive merit bonuses, which could lead to some teachers receiving six figures for their work.

WEST VIRGINIA:

• WV Metro News: Justice Signs Omnibus Education Bill, Putting Bow On Pay Raises And Opening Door To Charters
  • Governor Justice enacted legislation providing West Virginia teachers with a 5% pay increase.