D’Amico Urges Governor to Sign Bill Raising Minimum Salary for Teachers

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. John D’Amico, D-Chicago, is urging Gov. J.B. Pritzker to sign a measure raising the minimum salary for teachers in Illinois.

“Teachers are some of our most important and most selfless public servants, working hard each and every day to ensure that our children have a safe and vibrant learning environment,” D’Amico said. “All across our state, teachers deserve a minimum salary that reflects the hard work they do to educate kids and help prepare them for the workforce.”

D’Amico sponsored House Bill 2078, which gradually raises the minimum salary for teachers to $40,000 per year by the 2023-2024 school year. Currently, the minimum salary for teachers in Illinois is just $10,000 per year for teachers with a bachelor’s degree, which is below federal poverty level. An analysis of Illinois State Board of Education data performed by the Illinois Education Association demonstrated that this measure will help raise salaries for nearly 8,000 teachers in Illinois.

“More than ever, it is important that we recognize the professionalism of teachers and do everything we can in order to demonstrate to them how much we value the service they provide by educating our children,” D’Amico said. “I thank my colleagues in the House and Senate who supported this bill and I urge Governor Pritzker to sign this measure without delay so that we can show our teachers how much we value them.”