The State Senate continues to debate the state budget for the next fiscal year. A big part of that debate yesterday was over the proposed teacher pay raises.
The House plan gives all teachers a minimum 4% raise and raises the starting salary to $35,000 from the current $32,000. Various senators wanted to modify the plan, with one idea giving all teachers a 5% raise and not basing it on years in service.
They also wanted to raise the starting salary to 33.6k per year instead of 35k. The amendment was rejected. They will do more budget work today.