Virginia Senate Bill SB157

Virginia 2023 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/10/22
• Refer: 1/10/22
• Report Pass: 1/27/22

Caption

Public elementary and secondary schools; competitive compensation for certain positions.

Impact

The impact of SB157 could be significant on state educational laws, as it requires the Department of Education to conduct thorough reviews of teacher salaries and report the findings to key government entities. Furthermore, the funding necessary to implement a specified five percent annual pay increase for Standards of Quality-funded positions for the next several years is contingent on proper budget allocation. This raises the stakes for local school boards, which will have to match state funding based on their financial capacity, as dictated by each locality's composite index of local ability-to-pay.

Summary

SB157 aims to amend §22.1-289.1 of the Code of Virginia, introducing provisions that ensure competitive compensation for public school teachers and other employees in Standards of Quality-funded positions. The bill sets a goal for these positions to be compensated at or above the national average teacher salary, thereby facilitating the attraction and retention of highly qualified individuals in education. By mandating a biennial review of teacher compensation, the bill emphasizes the importance of aligning state compensation with national standards, providing a structured approach to evaluating and adjusting pay scales based on these findings.

Contention

While the intent behind SB157 is to enhance teacher compensation and improve educational quality, potential contention could arise regarding financial viability. School boards may experience pressure to meet the local matching requirement, which could vary substantially across the state. Therefore, while some may view the legislation positively as a necessary step towards fair educator pay, others might express concern about the uneven financial burden placed on different localities, which may lead to disparities in the salary increases and overall impact on educational quality.