Pritzker signs new law raising teacher pay minimum to $40,000

Bentley Stewart, a teacher in the Jacksonville, Illinois, School District 117, speaks Thursday to the benefits of a bill raising the minimum salary for teachers to $40,000 during a bill signing ceremony with Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, right, in his office at the Illinois State Capitol. Associated Press

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, flanked by Bentley Stewart, left, a teacher in the Jacksonville, Illinois, School District 117, along with legislators and representatives from the education sector, signs legislation Thursday raising the minimum salary for teachers to $40,000 in the Governor's office at the Illinois State Capitol, Thursday, Aug. 22, 2019, in Springfield, Ill. The new new minimum salary will be phased in over four years with hopes to reduce a teacher shortage in Illinois that has school districts for the 2018-2019 school year with 4,196 unfilled positions across the state according to the Illinois State Board of Education.(Justin L. Fowler/The State Journal-Register via AP) Associated Press

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, hands a signed bill off Thursday to sponsor Illinois State Rep. Katie Stuart, D-Collinsville, that will raise the minimum salary for teachers to $40,000 after a bill signing ceremony in the Governor's office at the Illinois State Capitol. Associated Press

Illinois State Rep. Katie Stuart, D-Collinsville, speaks Thursday to the benefits to teachers in the bill she sponsored that would raise the minimum salary for teachers to $40,000 prior to Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, right, singing the bill in his office at the Illinois State Capitol. Associated Press

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker answers questions Thursday from the media after signing legislation raising the minimum salary for teachers to $40,000 in the Governor's office at the Illinois State Capitol. Associated Press

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, flanked by Bentley Stewart, left, a teacher in the Jacksonville, Illinois, School District 117, along with legislators and representatives from the education sector, signs legislation Thursday raising the minimum salary for teachers to $40,000 in the governor's office at the Illinois State Capitol. The new new minimum salary will be phased in over four years with hopes to reduce a teacher shortage in Illinois that has school districts for the 2018-2019 school year with 4,196 unfilled positions across the state according to the Illinois State Board of Education. Associated Press

SPRINGFIELD -- Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker has signed legislation raising teachers' minimum salary to $40,000 over four years to address a statewide shortage of classroom leaders.

The current minimum teacher salary ranges from only $9,000 to $11,000. The new law signed by Pritzker Thursday raises the minimum to $32,076 for the 2020-2021 school year, $34,576 in 2021-2022, $37,076 in 2022-2023 and $40,000 in 2023-2024. Afterward, the minimum salary will rise based on the Consumer Price Index, subject to review by the General Assembly.

Illinois State Board of Education data from the 2018-2019 school year showed 1,848 unfilled teaching positions in school districts across the state.

Former Gov. Bruce Rauner last year vetoed a bill that would have raised the minimum salary for full-time public school teachers to $40,000 within five years.