The state of Illinois is one step closer to hiking the minimum salary for teachers to $40,000 a year.
House Bill 2078 passed the Senate on Wednesday 45-13.
The bill would phase in the salary increase over a period of five years, starting at $32,076 for the 2020-2021 school year. By 2023-2024, the minimum salary would be $40,000.
Currently, the minimum salary for Illinois teachers is $10,000 a year, or $11,000 for those with a master’s degree. The minimum salary has remained untouched since the 1980s.
A similar bill passed both houses of the General Assembly last year, but was vetoed by then-Gov. Bruce Rauner.
