Bill > SB284

This bill mandates that the Governor's budget proposals for the 2027, 2028, and 2029 legislative sessions must include funding to increase the average teacher salary in the Commonwealth to at least the national average by the start of the 2030 fiscal year. This will be achieved through state funding for compensation supplement incentives for instructional and support positions funded by the Standards of Quality, which are state-mandated educational programs. To determine the target national average salary, the bill specifies using the most recent data from the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission's (JLARC) "Virginia Compared to the Other States" report, adjusted for inflation using the Consumer Price Index (CPI-U). Similarly, the current average teacher salary in Virginia will be projected by using the most recent JLARC data and accounting for subsequent state-funded compensation increases, assuming local governments fully match these increases for Standards of Quality pay. The bill outlines a phased approach to achieving this goal, requiring that at least one-quarter of the total salary increase needed be funded in each of the 2026, 2027, 2028, and 2029 legislative sessions, corresponding to fiscal years 2027 through 2030.

Budget and Finance, Education, Health and Social Services

https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/SB284