IL Governor Signs Bill Raising The Minimum Teacher Salary To 40k

Teachers on the Illinois side of the Quad Cities could be getting a raise soon.

The Chicago Sun-Times reports Governor J.B. Pritzker signed a bill into law making the minimum teacher salary in Illinois $40,000 per year by 2023. The previous minimum salary was as low as $9,000.

“As Illinois children head back to school this week and next, this new law says to them and their parents loud and clear: We value teachers,” Pritzker said. “In signing this legislation, we’re addressing our teacher shortage and gradually putting teachers on track to make at least $40,000 a year by the first day of school in 2023.”

The bill begins to take effect on January 1st of 2020, with next year's minimum salary automatically raised to $32,076. The salary will continue to be raised every year until fall of 2023.

Many states have struggled to pay teachers due to funding issues. Illinois is second to last in the United States in state funding for education.