Relating to the amount of compensation paid to school district employees, including by establishing an educator supplement for all fund to be administered by the department of education, and modifying the amount of compensation paid to teachers, certain employees with a license, endorsement, certification, authorization, or statement of recognition issued by the board of educational examiners, and teaching assistants, and making appropriations

This bill relates to the amount of compensation paid to school district employees, including by establishing an educator supplement for all fund to be administered by the department of education, and modifying the amount of compensation paid to teachers, certain employees with a license, endorsement, certification, authorization, or statement of recognition issued by the board of educational examiners (BOEE), and teaching assistants. Currently, Code chapter 284 (teacher compensation) provides that the minimum annual salary for an initial teacher who has successfully completed an approved practitioner preparation program or holds an initial or intern teacher license issued by the BOEE shall be at least $33,500. The bill increases this minimum annual salary to $50,000, beginning July 1, 2024. The bill makes conforming changes to Code chapter 257 (financing school programs). The bill requires school districts to pay to each employee with a license, endorsement, certification, authorization, or statement of recognition issued by the BOEE who has been employed by the school district for at least one year, and who has completed all periods of conditional employment with the school district, $5,000 each year in addition to the employee’s base salary. The bill establishes that this provision does not apply to administrators. The bill requires school districts to pay to each employee who serves as a teaching assistant an amount equal to percent of the employee’s current annual salary each year in addition to the employee’s base salary. The bill establishes an educator supplement for all fund in the state treasury under the control of the department of education. The bill requires the department to distribute moneys from the fund to school districts in amounts necessary to ensure that school districts compensate employees and teachers in accordance with the bill’s provisions. For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2024, and for each succeeding fiscal year, the bill appropriates from the general fund of the state to the educator supplement for all fund the amount necessary to make all distributions required under the bill’s provisions.