Democratic state lawmakers on Thursday filed bills that would boost teacher pay and raise the minimum wage of support staff at public schools.
House Bill 1268, sponsored by House minority leader Tippi McCullough, D-Little Rock, would increase starting salaries for teachers from $36,000 to $50,000. The bill, dubbed the "Raising Arkansas's Investment in Schools and Educators Act," also includes a $10,000 raise for every public school teacher in the state.
Senate Minority Leader Greg Leding, D-Fayetteville, filed Senate Bill 149, which would boost the minimum wage for classified staff members from $11 an hour to $15 an hour, according to a news release.
All Democrats in the Legislature are backing the bills, but with Republican Sarah Huckabee Sanders in the governor's office and Republican super majorities in both state chambers, the legislation would require significant support from outside of the minority party to pass.
Despite party divisions, Leding noted in the release that the majority of lawmakers supported pay raises for teachers.
"Arkansas teachers are paid worse than their peers in every other southern state. With the RAISE Act, we can right this wrong and deliver a huge win for our children in Arkansas's public schools," Leding said. "We also know that our dedicated and hardworking staff, who make our schools run every day, deserve a raise. And that's exactly what our staff pay bill will do."
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