TEACHER PAY RAISE PASSES FIRST HURDLE

House Education Committee passes a teacher pay raise bill, effective July 1, 2006 the purpose of this bill is to increase beginning teachers’ salaries. The bill as it leaves the committee provides that no teacher would receive a salary less than the amount prescribed on the applicable state minimum salary schedule for a teacher with three years experience and will progress one step on the experience every year thereafter. Every year thereafter each teacher will advance one step on the experience scale regardless of his or her actual years of experience.

The original intent of the legislation is to aid in recruitment of teachers here in West Virginia and provide up to an additional $2600 for new teaching positions.

Sponsors of the bill include both Delegate Bob Beach-D Monongalia County, Delegate Charlene Marshall-D Monongalia County, and Delegate Mary Poling-D Barbour County.