On August 22, 2019, Governor Pritzker signed House Bill 2078 as Public Act 101-0443. The Act amends the School Code by establishing the minimum salary rate a school board must pay its teachers who serve on a full-time basis.  The minimum salary rate increases each year as follows:

  1. $32,076 for the 2020-2021 school year;
  2. $34,576 for the 2021-2022 school year;
  3. $37,076 for the 2022-2023 school year; and
  4. $40,000 for the 2023-2024 school year.

The minimum salary rate for each school year thereafter, subject to review by the General Assembly, shall equal the minimum salary rate for the previous school year increased by a percentage equal to the percentage increase, if any, in the Consumer Price Index For All Urban Consumers. The effective date for the Act, as posted on the General Assembly website by the Legislative Information System, is June 1, 2020.   However, the Act contains a provision requiring the Professional Review Panel to submit a report to the General Assembly by January 31, 2020, on how State funds and funds distributed under the evidence-based funding formula may aid the financial effects of the changes made by the Act.

As a result of this legislation, districts will need to review their salary schedules and determine whether or not they are in compliance. Those districts not paying their full-time teachers in accordance with the established schedule above will need to make adjustments to their full-time teachers’ salaries to ensure compliance with the new minimum requirements. Additionally, this may result in bargaining units asking to bargain the impact these salary adjustments will have on teachers who are close to or below the minimum threshold.