by Talk Business & Politics staff (staff2@talkbusiness.net)

Against the backdrop of historic Central High School in Little Rock, Democratic gubernatorial nominee Chris Jones outlined Tuesday (July 19) a plan to raise teacher and staff pay in public schools and to close gaps on a growing teacher shortage.

Jones said the state should use up to $400 million of its $1.6 billion state surplus to provide an immediate teacher bonus, raise minimum teacher salaries this August, and raise them again by $4,000 by the end of his first term, if elected.

His plan includes:

Paying a one-time surplus bonus for teachers and staff between $1,000-$2,500 per school employee;
Raising minimum teacher pay to $46,000 this August;
Raising the pay to $50,000 per year by the end of his first term; and
Adding $4,200 in pay to those teachers and staff already making $46,000 or more.
https://talkbusiness.net/2022/07/democrat-chris-jones-lays-out-plan-to-raise-teacher-pay-to-50000/