On January 28, House Appropriations Committee Vice-Chairman Steve Landes announced that the House of Delegates budget to be released on Sunday will include a 5 percent pay raise for public school teachers. This follows the Governor’s proposed budget presented in December which included $88 million in additional state funding for a 2 percent raise on top of a 3 percent increase planned for by the legislature during last year’s session. The Governor’s proposal is contingent upon localities matching their local share of state funding.
The announcement came as an estimated 4,000 teachers and community members rallied in Richmond in support of public education. Wearing red, the crowd was addressed by Virginia Education Association President Jim Livingston and could be seen throughout the General Assembly. According to a 2018 report by the National Education Association, the average teacher salary in Virginia is approximately $51,000 and lags behind the national average of $60,000.
VACo supports reducing the burdens on the teacher workforce in the Commonwealth and urges the General Assembly to fund strategies addressing the teacher shortage.
VACo Contact: Jeremy Bennett