SPRINGFIELD – Teachers will be ensured fair compensation without financially burdening school boards under a new law backed by State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel. 

“As a former teacher, I have continuously worked to uplift the education profession and will always be a voice for our teachers,” said Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood). “We have to recruit and retain qualified teachers. Without adequately adjusting their salary, we are losing good teachers to another profession.”

The Loughran Cappel-supported law establishes the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability as the agency responsible for adjusting the teacher minimum salary in accordance with annual increases in inflation rates.

The law addresses concerns related to potential higher pension contributions resulting from increased minimum teacher salaries. It ensures that school boards will not be penalized for fulfilling their obligation to provide competitive compensation to teachers.

“Inflation has affected all of us,” said Loughran Cappel. “This is a step forward to promoting fairness, stability and excellence in education by fairly compensating our teachers and supporting our school boards.”

House Bill 300 was signed into law and took effect immediately.