Pay Raises

Gov. Sanders authorizes three percent pay increases for state employees

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

Gov. Sarah Sanders on Friday (June 14) authorized a three percent adjustment for pay increases for state employees, effective June 23, 2024. In a letter to state workers, Sanders also outlined a one percent base salary merit raise for executive branch employees and a three percent base salary merit raise for state workers who have exceeded performance evaluations.

“Arkansas’ state government runs on you, our state employees. As my administration works to provide exceptional services to the people of Arkansas at a lower cost, we are relying on you to deliver. In the past 18 months, you have facilitated bold changes to state government, and I am incredibly appreciative of your work,” Gov. Sanders said. “As recognition for your accomplishments – and as an acknowledgment of our need to recruit and retain talented public servants – I worked with the legislature to make a one-time, 3% increase to all Arkansas executive branch state employee’s pay. I am authorizing that adjustment to go into effect on June 23.”

In noting the merit pay raises, Sanders said they would apply to state workers who have worked in the executive branch for at least a year, and who have worked at their current executive department since January 2, 2024.

Gov. Sanders authorizes three percent pay increases for state employees

Teacher pay study touts Arkansas improvements

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

A study conducted by The New Teacher Project says Arkansas has the highest teacher pay in the country, when you figure in cost-of-living factors, but the report is hesitant to draw further conclusions about the improvement of teacher recruiting and retention until more data is available on recent initiatives.

Released last week, the TNTP report titled “Moving Up: Promising Strategies to Address Teacher Shortages in Arkansas” is a follow up to a 2021 report titled “Missing Out,” which outlined some ways the state could fix its looming teacher shortage. Some of those recommendations were included in Gov. Sarah Sanders’ LEARNS Act.

The signature education bill raised minimum teacher salaries in Arkansas to $50,000 and provided one-time $2,000 raises to teachers earning more than $50,000.

Teacher pay study touts Arkansas improvements

Gov. Sanders reveals more details of LEARNS plan, omnibus education bill could be filed next week

by Roby Brock (roby@talkbusiness.net)

Five and a half weeks into the legislative session, Gov. Sarah Sanders and lawmakers have yet to produce a much-hyped omnibus education bill, but they are close. On Wednesday (Feb. 8), Sanders revealed more details of her proposal amidst a backdrop of Republican sponsors who are committed to backing the measure.

Flanked by GOP senators and representatives at the foot of the stairwell to the Arkansas House of Representatives, Sanders said she planned to increase starting teacher pay in the state from $36,000 to $50,000. The starting teacher pay would move Arkansas from 48th to 4th in state rankings.

More than 15,000 teachers would also receive a pay raise to the $50,000 threshold and teachers over that salary floor could receive an immediate pay raise of $2,000, according to sources. Sanders’ plan would also reward “good teachers” – a phrase that is undefined – with potential $10,000 bonuses. The governor said her bill will also have an option to forgive student loans for teachers who locate in high-need areas of the state. It would also repeal the Teacher Fair Dismissal Act, which requires that teachers be notified of their employment status before May 1st each year.

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/02/gov-sanders-reveals-more-details-of-learns-plan-omnibus-education-bill-could-be-filed-next-week/

Arkansas Democrats file legislation for teacher pay raises, per pupil funding increase

KUAR | By Ronak Patel / Talk Business & Politics

Arkansas Democrats filed legislation Thursday (Jan. 26) to raise public school teacher salaries, non-teacher staff salaries, and per pupil foundation funding for the next year.

In the House, Democrats filed HB1268, the RAISE Act, to move funds from the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education Public School Fund Account to the Department of Education for pay raises for teachers, according to the bill.

According to a press release from the Democratic Party of Arkansas, the RAISE Act will cost $350 million for teacher pay. The legislation would raise the starting salary of teachers to $50,000, up from $36,000. There is also a $10,000 raise for every public school teacher in the state.

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/local-regional-news/2023-01-27/arkansas-democrats-file-legislation-for-teacher-pay-raises-per-pupil-funding-increase

Josie Lenora/KUAR News

House Minority Leader Tippi McCullough and Senate Minority Leader Greg Leding host a post-inauguration press conference in early January 2023.