NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Gov. Bill Haslam says he’s committed to making Tennessee the fastest-improving state in the nation in terms of teacher pay, and his budget will reflect that commitment.
The Republican governor told reporters before his State of the State address Monday evening that the budget he will present makes “significant investments … in teacher salaries.”
Haslam had planned to increase teacher salaries in 2013, as well as pay for state employees, but decided not to because of poor state revenues.
He later vowed to make Tennessee’s teachers’ salaries competitive with other states, but acknowledged his actions would depend on state revenues. Haslam and state financial officials said earlier Monday that the revenue outlook for next year is promising.
“When we had the revenue shortfall, we had to make adjustments,” Haslam said. “I came out of that saying the thing that hurt me the most was having to make the adjustment … to teacher salaries.”
Tennessee teacher salaries have remained flat since 2011 – Haslam’s first year in office – when compared with the Consumer Price Index, according to the Tennessee Education Association, the state’s largest teachers union, which has been urging the governor to increase teacher pay.
Jim Wrye, TEA’s assistant executive director, said he’s pleased to see the governor taking action.
“I think every teacher in the state wants to see the governor’s dream come true, in that we are the fastest improving in teacher salaries in the nation,” Wrye said. “We look forward to working with the administration and the General Assembly to see that the governor’s vision becomes a reality.”
The governor also plans to fully fund the state’s school funding formula, as well as the funding formula for Tennessee’s public higher education institutions. Those institutions will also receive funds for capital projects.
“Funding the Tennessee Higher Education Commission recommendations … will go a long way to helping us keep tuition in the 0 to 4 percent range recommended by THEC,” said Tennessee Board of Regents Chancellor John Morgan, who oversees six state universities, 13 community colleges and 27 colleges of applied technology.
The governor’s budget also addresses civil services issues and a state workforce in which 40 percent of its employees will be eligible to retire next year.
“This budget reflects our efforts to make a state workforce that’s more in line with the private sector,” Haslam said.