Scherer Measure to Raise Salaries for Illinois Teachers Passes House

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – In an effort to address the ongoing teacher shortage that is plaguing Illinois, state Rep. Sue Scherer, D-Decatur, recently passed legislation out of the Illinois House to increase the base salary for teachers.

“By setting a baseline salary for full-time teachers, our state will become more competitive in attracting the best and the brightest educators for our local schools,” said Scherer.  “In order to ensure that our children are receiving the best education possible, steps need to be taken to address the teacher shortage.

Scherer is sponsoring House Bill 5175, a measure that would set a minimum salary for full-time teachers. The bill is part a number of measures by lawmakers to address the growing teacher shortage in Illinois, and has received supported from the Illinois Education Association (IEA), the Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT), and the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE).  The measure recently passed out of the Illinois House and will now move to the Senate for consideration.

“As a former teacher of 34 years, I truly believe that investing in good teachers is an investment into our future. Our children are worth it,” continued Scherer.  “Teachers today face struggles that past teachers have not, such as extraordinary amounts of student loan debt.  To attract the best educators, setting a baseline, livable wage for teachers is necessary.”

Scherer represents the 96th District, which includes portions of Christian, Macon and Sangamon counties.