School teachers, assistant teachers and postsecondary professors and course instructors in full-time capacity; increase salary by $7,500.00.

H. B. No. 808 *HR43/R1834* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/HR43/R1834
PAGE 1 (DJ\KP)

To: Education;
Appropriations A
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representatives Faulkner, Summers,
Denton, Porter, James-Jones, Clark

HOUSE BILL NO. 808

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 37-19-7, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO 1
PROVIDE FOR AN INCREASE OF $7,500.00 TO THE MINIMUM TEACHER SALARY 2
SCALE; TO AMEND SECTION 37-21-7, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO 3
PROVIDE FOR AN INCREASE OF $7,500.00 TO THE MINIMUM BASE SALARY 4
FOR ASSISTANT TEACHERS; TO PROVIDE THAT NO SCHOOL DISTRICT SHALL 5
REDUCE THE LOCAL SUPPLEMENT OR PAY AN INDIVIDUAL ASSISTANT TEACHER 6
LESS THAN THE STATE MINIMUM SALARY IN A YEAR IN WHICH THE STATE 7
MINIMUM SALARY IS INCREASED; TO PROVIDE FOR A REDUCTION IN FUNDS 8
FOR DISTRICTS THAT VIOLATE THIS SECTION; TO PROVIDE THAT NO 9
DISTRICT SHALL PAY ANY ASSISTANT TEACHER LESS THAN THE STATE 10
MINIMUM SALARY UNLESS DONE SO BY A PRO RATA DAILY AMOUNT WHERE 11
THERE HAS BEEN A REDUCTION IN ADEQUATE EDUCATION PROGRAM 12
ALLOCATIONS FOR SUCH DISTRICT IN SUCH YEAR OR IN THE AMOUNT OF 13
FEDERAL FUNDS TO SUCH DISTRICT FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR; TO EXPRESS 14
THE LEGISLATURE'S INTENT THAT EACH FULL-TIME PROFESSOR OR 15
INSTRUCTOR AT A STATE INSTITUTION OF HIGHER LEARNING OR COMMUNITY 16
OR JUNIOR COLLEGE RECEIVE A SALARY INCREASE ABOVE EXISTING PAY; TO 17
EXPRESS THE INTENT OF THE LEGISLATURE THAT ALL FULL-TIME 18
PROFESSORS, ASSOCIATE PROFESSORS, ASSISTANT PROFESSORS AND COURSE 19
INSTRUCTORS OF ANY INSTITUTION OF HIGHER LEARNING OR COMMUNITY OR 20
JUNIOR COLLEGE RECEIVE A SALARY INCREASE OF $7,500.00 ABOVE THEIR 21
CURRENT SALARIES; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 22
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 23
SECTION 1. Section 37-19-7, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 24
amended as follows: 25
37-19-7. (1) Teachers' salaries in each public school 26
district shall be determined and paid in accordance with the scale 27
for teachers' salaries as provided in this subsection. For 28
H. B. No. 808 *HR43/R1834* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR43/R1834
PAGE 2 (DJ\KP)

teachers holding the following types of licenses or the equivalent 29
as determined by the State Board of Education, and the following 30
number of years of teaching experience, the scale shall be as 31
follows: 32
* * * 33
2026-2027 AND SUBSEQUENT SCHOOL YEARS MINIMUM SALARY SCHEDULE 34
Exp. AAAA AAA AA A 35
0 53,000.00 51,500.00 50,500.00 49,000.00 36
1 53,600.00 52,050.00 51,025.00 49,400.00 37
2 54,200.00 52,600.00 51,550.00 49,800.00 38
3 54,800.00 53,150.00 52,075.00 50,200.00 39
4 55,400.00 53,700.00 52,600.00 50,600.00 40
5 56,750.00 55,000.00 53,850.00 51,800.00 41
6 57,350.00 55,550.00 54,375.00 52,200.00 42
7 57,950.00 56,100.00 54,900.00 52,600.00 43
8 58,550.00 56,650.00 55,425.00 53,000.00 44
9 59,150.00 57,200.00 55,950.00 53,400.00 45
10 60,500.00 58,500.00 57,200.00 54,600.00 46
11 61,100.00 59,050.00 57,725.00 55,000.00 47
12 61,700.00 59,600.00 58,250.00 55,400.00 48
13 62,300.00 60,150.00 58,775.00 55,800.00 49
14 62,900.00 60,700.00 59,300.00 56,200.00 50
15 64,250.00 62,000.00 60,550.00 57,400.00 51
16 64,850.00 62,550.00 61,075.00 57,800.00 52
17 65,450.00 63,100.00 61,600.00 58,200.00 53
H. B. No. 808 *HR43/R1834* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR43/R1834
PAGE 3 (DJ\KP)

18 66,050.00 63,650.00 62,125.00 58,600.00 54
19 66,650.00 64,200.00 62,650.00 59,000.00 55
20 68,000.00 65,500.00 63,900.00 60,200.00 56
21 68,600.00 66,050.00 64,425.00 60,600.00 57
22 69,200.00 66,600.00 64,950.00 61,000.00 58
23 69,800.00 67,150.00 65,475.00 61,400.00 59
24 70,400.00 67,700.00 66,000.00 61,800.00 60
25 72,900.00 70,200.00 68,500.00 64,300.00 61
26 73,500.00 70,750.00 69,025.00 64,700.00 62
27 74,100.00 71,300.00 69,550.00 65,100.00 63
28 74,700.00 71,850.00 70,075.00 65,500.00 64
29 75,300.00 72,400.00 70,600.00 65,900.00 65
30 75,900.00 72,950.00 71,125.00 66,300.00 66
31 76,500.00 73,500.00 71,650.00 66,700.00 67
32 77,100.00 74,050.00 72,175.00 67,100.00 68
33 77,700.00 74,600.00 72,700.00 67,500.00 69
34 78,300.00 75,150.00 73,225.00 67,900.00 70
35 71
& above 78,900.00 75,700.00 73,750.00 68,300.00 72
The school district, with assistance from the Department of 73
Education, shall consider the teacher's years of service and 74
license type and determine the corresponding salary for the 75
retired teacher. After determining the retired teacher's 76
corresponding salary, the school district may allocate up to one 77
hundred twenty-five percent (125%) of the amount provided under 78
H. B. No. 808 *HR43/R1834* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR43/R1834
PAGE 4 (DJ\KP)

the salary schedule for such teacher, as applicable, as salary and 79
assessment under the program. 80
After determining the retired teacher's salary, the school 81
district may pay no more than fifty percent (50%) of the retired 82
teacher's compensation as salary to the retired teacher. The 83
remaining fifty percent (50%) of the retired teacher's 84
compensation as salary shall be paid by the school district to 85
PERS as a pension liability participation assessment. 86
It is the intent of the Legislature that any state funds made 87
available for salaries of licensed personnel in excess of the 88
funds paid for such salaries for the 1986-1987 school year shall 89
be paid to licensed personnel pursuant to a personnel appraisal 90
and compensation system implemented by the State Board of 91
Education. The State Board of Education shall have the authority 92
to adopt and amend rules and regulations as are necessary to 93
establish, administer and maintain the system. 94
All teachers employed on a full-time basis shall be paid a 95
minimum salary in accordance with the above scale. However, no 96
school district shall receive any funds under this section for any 97
school year during which the local supplement paid to any 98
individual teacher shall have been reduced to a sum less than that 99
paid to that individual teacher for performing the same duties 100
from local supplement during the immediately preceding school 101
year. The amount actually spent for the purposes of group health 102
and/or life insurance shall be considered as a part of the 103
H. B. No. 808 *HR43/R1834* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR43/R1834
PAGE 5 (DJ\KP)

aggregate amount of local supplement but shall not be considered a 104
part of the amount of individual local supplement. 105
The level of professional training of each teacher to be used 106
in establishing the salary for the teacher for each year shall be 107
determined by the type of valid teacher's license issued to that 108
teacher on or before October 1 of the current school year. 109
However, school districts are authorized, in their discretion, to 110
negotiate the salary levels applicable to licensed employees who 111
are receiving retirement benefits from the retirement system of 112
another state. 113
(2) (a) The following employees shall receive an annual 114
salary supplement in the amount of Six Thousand Dollars 115
($6,000.00), plus fringe benefits, in addition to any other 116
compensation to which the employee may be entitled: 117
(i) Any licensed teacher or retired teacher 118
employed by a school district under the authority of Section 119
25-11-126 who has met the requirements and acquired a Master 120
Teacher certificate from the National Board for Professional 121
Teaching Standards and who is employed by a local school board or 122
the State Board of Education as a teacher and not as an 123
administrator. Such teacher shall submit documentation to the 124
State Department of Education that the certificate was received 125
prior to October 15 in order to be eligible for the full salary 126
supplement in the current school year, or the teacher shall submit 127
such documentation to the State Department of Education prior to 128
H. B. No. 808 *HR43/R1834* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR43/R1834
PAGE 6 (DJ\KP)

February 15 in order to be eligible for a prorated salary 129
supplement beginning with the second term of the school year. 130
(ii) A licensed nurse who has met the requirements 131
and acquired a certificate from the National Board for 132
Certification of School Nurses, Inc., and who is employed by a 133
local school board or the State Board of Education as a school 134
nurse and not as an administrator. The licensed school nurse 135
shall submit documentation to the State Department of Education 136
that the certificate was received before October 15 in order to be 137
eligible for the full salary supplement in the current school 138
year, or the licensed school nurse shall submit the documentation 139
to the State Department of Education before February 15 in order 140
to be eligible for a prorated salary supplement beginning with the 141
second term of the school year. 142
(iii) Any licensed school counselor who has met 143
the requirements and acquired a National Certified School 144
Counselor (NCSC) endorsement from the National Board of Certified 145
Counselors and who is employed by a local school board or the 146
State Board of Education as a counselor and not as an 147
administrator. Such licensed school counselor shall submit 148
documentation to the State Department of Education that the 149
endorsement was received prior to October 15 in order to be 150
eligible for the full salary supplement in the current school 151
year, or the licensed school counselor shall submit such 152
documentation to the State Department of Education prior to 153
H. B. No. 808 *HR43/R1834* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR43/R1834
PAGE 7 (DJ\KP)

February 15 in order to be eligible for a prorated salary 154
supplement beginning with the second term of the school year. 155
However, any school counselor who started the National Board for 156
Professional Teaching Standards process for school counselors 157
between June 1, 2003, and June 30, 2004, and completes the 158
requirements and acquires the Master Teacher certificate shall be 159
entitled to the master teacher supplement, and those counselors 160
who complete the process shall be entitled to a one-time 161
reimbursement for the actual cost of the process as outlined in 162
paragraph (b) of this subsection. 163
(iv) Any licensed speech-language pathologist and 164
audiologist who has met the requirements and acquired a 165
Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American 166
Speech-Language-Hearing Association and any certified academic 167
language therapist (CALT) who has met the certification 168
requirements of the Academic Language Therapy Association and who 169
is employed by a local school board. The licensed speech-language 170
pathologist and audiologist and certified academic language 171
therapist shall submit documentation to the State Department of 172
Education that the certificate or endorsement was received before 173
October 15 in order to be eligible for the full salary supplement 174
in the current school year, or the licensed speech-language 175
pathologist and audiologist and certified academic language 176
therapist shall submit the documentation to the State Department 177
of Education before February 15 in order to be eligible for a 178
H. B. No. 808 *HR43/R1834* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR43/R1834
PAGE 8 (DJ\KP)

prorated salary supplement beginning with the second term of the 179
school year. 180
(v) Any licensed athletic trainer who has met the 181
requirements and acquired Board Certification for the Athletic 182
Trainer from the Board of Certification, Inc., and who is employed 183
by a local school board or the State Board of Education as an 184
athletic trainer and not as an administrator. The licensed 185
athletic trainer shall submit documentation to the State 186
Department of Education that the certificate was received before 187
October 15 in order to be eligible for the full salary supplement 188
in the current school year, or the licensed athletic trainer shall 189
submit the documentation to the State Department of Education 190
before February 15 in order to be eligible for a prorated salary 191
supplement beginning with the second term of the school year. 192
(b) An employee shall be reimbursed for the actual cost 193
of completing each component of acquiring the certificate or 194
endorsement, excluding any costs incurred for postgraduate 195
courses, not to exceed Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) for each 196
component, not to exceed four (4) components, for a teacher, 197
school counselor or speech-language pathologist and audiologist, 198
regardless of whether or not the process resulted in the award of 199
the certificate or endorsement. A local school district or any 200
private individual or entity may pay the cost of completing the 201
process of acquiring the certificate or endorsement for any 202
employee of the school district described under paragraph (a), and 203
H. B. No. 808 *HR43/R1834* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR43/R1834
PAGE 9 (DJ\KP)

the State Department of Education shall reimburse the school 204
district for such cost, regardless of whether or not the process 205
resulted in the award of the certificate or endorsement. If a 206
private individual or entity has paid the cost of completing the 207
process of acquiring the certificate or endorsement for an 208
employee, the local school district may agree to directly 209
reimburse the individual or entity for such cost on behalf of the 210
employee. 211
(c) All salary supplements, fringe benefits and process 212
reimbursement authorized under this subsection shall be paid 213
directly by the State Department of Education to the local school 214
district and shall be in addition to its allotments from the total 215
funding formula provided in Sections 37-151-200 through 37-151-215 216
and not a part thereof in accordance with regulations promulgated 217
by the State Board of Education. Local school districts shall not 218
reduce the local supplement paid to any employee receiving such 219
salary supplement, and the employee shall receive any local 220
supplement to which employees with similar training and experience 221
otherwise are entitled. However, an educational employee shall 222
receive the salary supplement in the amount of Six Thousand 223
Dollars ($6,000.00) for only one (1) of the qualifying 224
certifications authorized under paragraph (a) of this subsection. 225
No school district shall provide more than one (1) annual salary 226
supplement under the provisions of this subsection to any one (1) 227
H. B. No. 808 *HR43/R1834* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR43/R1834
PAGE 10 (DJ\KP)

individual employee holding multiple qualifying national 228
certifications. 229
(d) If an employee for whom such cost has been paid, in 230
full or in part, by a local school district or private individual 231
or entity fails to complete the certification or endorsement 232
process, the employee shall be liable to the school district or 233
individual or entity for all amounts paid by the school district 234
or individual or entity on behalf of that employee toward his or 235
her certificate or endorsement. 236
(3) The following employees shall receive an annual salary 237
supplement in the amount of Four Thousand Dollars ($4,000.00), 238
plus fringe benefits, in addition to any other compensation to 239
which the employee may be entitled: 240
Effective July 1, 2016, if funds are available for that 241
purpose, any licensed teacher or retired teacher employed by a 242
local school district under the authority of Section 25-11-126 who 243
has met the requirements and acquired a Master Teacher Certificate 244
from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and 245
who is employed in a public school district located in one (1) of 246
the following counties: Claiborne, Adams, Jefferson, Wilkinson, 247
Amite, Bolivar, Coahoma, Leflore, Quitman, Sharkey, Issaquena, 248
Sunflower, Washington, Holmes, Yazoo and Tallahatchie. The salary 249
supplement awarded under the provisions of this subsection (3) 250
shall be in addition to the salary supplement awarded under the 251
provisions of subsection (2) of this section. 252
H. B. No. 808 *HR43/R1834* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR43/R1834
PAGE 11 (DJ\KP)

Teachers who meet the qualifications for a salary supplement 253
under this subsection (3) who are assigned for less than one (1) 254
full year or less than full time for the school year shall receive 255
the salary supplement in a prorated manner, with the portion of 256
the teacher's assignment to the critical geographic area to be 257
determined as of June 15th of the school year. 258
(4) (a) This subsection shall be known and may be cited as 259
the "Mississippi Performance-Based Pay (MPBP)" plan. In addition 260
to the minimum base pay described in this section, only if funds 261
are available for that purpose, the State of Mississippi may 262
provide monies from state funds to school districts for the 263
purposes of rewarding licensed teachers, administrators and 264
nonlicensed personnel at individual schools showing improvement in 265
student test scores. The MPBP plan shall be developed by the 266
State Department of Education based on the following criteria: 267
(i) It is the express intent of this legislation 268
that the MPBP plan shall utilize only existing standards of 269
accreditation and assessment as established by the State Board of 270
Education. 271
(ii) To ensure that all of Mississippi's teachers, 272
administrators and nonlicensed personnel at all schools have equal 273
access to the monies set aside in this section, the MPBP program 274
shall be designed to calculate each school's performance as 275
determined by the school's increase in scores from the prior 276
school year. The MPBP program shall be based on a standardized 277
H. B. No. 808 *HR43/R1834* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR43/R1834
PAGE 12 (DJ\KP)

scores rating where all levels of schools can be judged in a 278
statistically fair and reasonable way upon implementation. At the 279
end of each year, after all student achievement scores have been 280
standardized, the State Department of Education shall implement 281
the MPBP plan. 282
(iii) To ensure all teachers cooperate in the 283
spirit of teamwork, individual schools shall submit a plan to the 284
local school district to be approved before the beginning of each 285
school year. The plan shall include, but not be limited to, how 286
all teachers, regardless of subject area, and administrators will 287
be responsible for improving student achievement for their 288
individual school. 289
(b) The State Board of Education shall develop the 290
processes and procedures for designating schools eligible to 291
participate in the MPBP. State assessment results, growth in 292
student achievement at individual schools and other measures 293
deemed appropriate in designating successful student achievement 294
shall be used in establishing MPBP criteria. 295
(5) (a) If funds are available for that purpose, each 296
school in Mississippi shall have mentor teachers, as defined by 297
Sections 37-9-201 through 37-9-213, who shall receive additional 298
base compensation provided for by the State Legislature in the 299
amount of One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) per each beginning 300
teacher that is being mentored. The additional state compensation 301
shall be limited to those mentor teachers that provide mentoring 302
H. B. No. 808 *HR43/R1834* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR43/R1834
PAGE 13 (DJ\KP)

services to beginning teachers. For the purposes of such funding, 303
a beginning teacher shall be defined as any teacher in any school 304
in Mississippi that has less than one (1) year of classroom 305
experience teaching in a public school. For the purposes of such 306
funding, no full-time academic teacher shall mentor more than two 307
(2) beginning teachers. 308
(b) To be eligible for this state funding, the 309
individual school must have a classroom management program 310
approved by the local school board. 311
(6) Effective with the 2014-2015 school year, the school 312
districts participating in the Pilot Performance-Based 313
Compensation System pursuant to Section 37-19-9 may award 314
additional teacher and administrator pay based thereon. 315
SECTION 2. Section 37-21-7, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 316
amended as follows: 317
37-21-7. (1) This section shall be referred to as the 318
"Mississippi Elementary Schools Assistant Teacher Program," the 319
purpose of which shall be to provide an early childhood education 320
program that assists in the instruction of basic skills. The 321
State Board of Education is authorized, empowered and directed to 322
implement a statewide system of assistant teachers in kindergarten 323
classes and in the first, second and third grades. The assistant 324
teacher shall assist pupils in actual instruction under the strict 325
supervision of a licensed teacher. 326
H. B. No. 808 *HR43/R1834* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR43/R1834
PAGE 14 (DJ\KP)

(2) (a) Except as otherwise authorized under subsection 327
(7), each school district shall employ the total number of 328
assistant teachers funded under subsection (6) of this section. 329
The superintendent of each district shall assign the assistant 330
teachers to the kindergarten, first-, second- and third-grade 331
classes in the district in a manner that will promote the maximum 332
efficiency, as determined by the superintendent, in the 333
instruction of skills such as verbal and linguistic skills, 334
logical and mathematical skills, and social skills. 335
(b) If a licensed teacher to whom an assistant teacher 336
has been assigned is required to be absent from the classroom, the 337
assistant teacher may assume responsibility for the classroom in 338
lieu of a substitute teacher. However, no assistant teacher shall 339
assume sole responsibility of the classroom for more than three 340
(3) consecutive school days. Further, in no event shall any 341
assistant teacher be assigned to serve as a substitute teacher for 342
any teacher other than the licensed teacher to whom that assistant 343
teacher has been assigned. 344
(3) Assistant teachers shall have, at a minimum, a high 345
school diploma or a High School Equivalency Diploma equivalent, 346
and shall show demonstratable proficiency in reading and writing 347
skills. The State Department of Education shall develop a testing 348
procedure for assistant teacher applicants to be used in all 349
school districts in the state. 350
H. B. No. 808 *HR43/R1834* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR43/R1834
PAGE 15 (DJ\KP)

(4) (a) In order to receive funding, each school district 351
shall: 352
(i) Submit a plan on the implementation of a 353
reading improvement program to the State Department of Education; 354
and 355
(ii) Develop a plan of educational accountability 356
and assessment of performance, including pretests and posttests, 357
for reading in Grades 1 through 6. 358
(b) Additionally, each school district shall: 359
(i) Provide annually a mandatory preservice 360
orientation session, using an existing in-school service day, for 361
administrators and teachers on the effective use of assistant 362
teachers as part of a team in the classroom setting and on the 363
role of assistant teachers, with emphasis on program goals; 364
(ii) Hold periodic workshops for administrators 365
and teachers on the effective use and supervision of assistant 366
teachers; 367
(iii) Provide training annually on specific 368
instructional skills for assistant teachers; 369
(iv) Annually evaluate their program in accordance 370
with their educational accountability and assessment of 371
performance plan; and 372
(v) Designate the necessary personnel to supervise 373
and report on their program. 374
(5) The State Department of Education shall: 375
H. B. No. 808 *HR43/R1834* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR43/R1834
PAGE 16 (DJ\KP)

(a) Develop and assist in the implementation of a 376
statewide uniform training module, subject to the availability of 377
funds specifically appropriated therefor by the Legislature, which 378
shall be used in all school districts for training administrators, 379
teachers and assistant teachers. The module shall provide for the 380
consolidated training of each assistant teacher and teacher to 381
whom the assistant teacher is assigned, working together as a 382
team, and shall require further periodic training for 383
administrators, teachers and assistant teachers regarding the role 384
of assistant teachers; 385
(b) Annually evaluate the program on the district and 386
state level. Subject to the availability of funds specifically 387
appropriated therefor by the Legislature, the department shall 388
develop: (i) uniform evaluation reports, to be performed by the 389
principal or assistant principal, to collect data for the annual 390
overall program evaluation conducted by the department; or (ii) a 391
program evaluation model that, at a minimum, addresses process 392
evaluation; and 393
(c) Promulgate rules, regulations and such other 394
standards deemed necessary to effectuate the purposes of this 395
section. Noncompliance with the provisions of this section and 396
any rules, regulations or standards adopted by the department may 397
result in a violation of compulsory accreditation standards as 398
established by the State Board of Education and the Commission on 399
School Accreditation. 400
H. B. No. 808 *HR43/R1834* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR43/R1834
PAGE 17 (DJ\KP)

(6) Each school district shall be allotted sufficient 401
funding under the total funding formula provided in Sections 402
37-151-200 through 37-151-215 for the purpose of employing 403
assistant teachers. * * * No school district shall pay any 404
assistant teacher less than the state minimum salary. No district 405
shall reduce the local supplement or amount paid to an individual 406
assistant teacher by the district below the state minimum salary 407
contained in this section from the previous year in a year in 408
which the state minimum salary is increased. Should any district 409
violate this subsection (6), such district's funding shall be 410
reduced by twice the amount of such reduction when computing the 411
district's allocation of total funding formula funds. However, 412
districts are authorized to reduce the state minimum salary by a 413
pro rata daily amount where there has been a reduction in (a) 414
adequate education program allocations for such district in such 415
year, or (b) the amount of federal funds to such district compared 416
to the amount received from the previous year. Nothing herein 417
contained shall prohibit any district from adopting or continuing 418
a program or plan whereby assistant teachers are paid varying 419
salaries according to classroom performance and other similar 420
standards. 421
For assistant teachers, the minimum annual salary shall be as 422
follows: 423
* * * 2026-2027 and Subsequent Years Minimum Salary 424
.................................................. * * *$24,500.00 425
H. B. No. 808 *HR43/R1834* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR43/R1834
PAGE 18 (DJ\KP)

In addition, for each one percent (1%) that the Sine Die 426
General Fund Revenue Estimate Growth exceeds five percent (5%) in 427
fiscal year 2006, as certified by the Legislative Budget Office to 428
the State Board of Education and subject to the specific 429
appropriation therefor by the Legislature, the State Board of 430
Education shall revise the salary scale in the appropriate year to 431
provide an additional one percent (1%) across-the-board increase 432
in the base salaries for assistant teachers. The State Board of 433
Education shall revise the salaries prescribed above for assistant 434
teachers to conform to any adjustments made in prior fiscal years 435
due to revenue growth over and above five percent (5%). The 436
assistant teachers shall not be restricted to working only in the 437
grades for which the funds were allotted, but may be assigned to 438
other classes as provided in subsection (2)(a) of this section. 439
(7) (a) As an alternative to employing assistant teachers, 440
any school district may use the funding provided under subsection 441
(6) of this section for the purpose of employing licensed teachers 442
for kindergarten, first-, second- and third-grade classes; 443
however, no school district shall be authorized to use the funding 444
for assistant teachers for the purpose of employing licensed 445
teachers unless the district has established that the employment 446
of licensed teachers using such funds will reduce the 447
teacher:student ratio in the kindergarten, first-, second- and 448
third-grade classes. All state funds for assistant teachers shall 449
be applied to reducing teacher:student ratio in Grades K-3. 450
H. B. No. 808 *HR43/R1834* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR43/R1834
PAGE 19 (DJ\KP)
ST: School teachers, assistant teachers and
postsecondary professors and course instructors
in full-time capacity; increase salary by
$7,500.00.
It is the intent of the Legislature that no school district 451
shall dismiss any assistant teacher for the purpose of using the 452
assistant teacher funding to employ licensed teachers. School 453
districts may rely only upon normal attrition to reduce the number 454
of assistant teachers employed in that district. 455
(b) Districts meeting the highest levels of 456
accreditation standards, as defined by the State Board of 457
Education, shall be exempted from the provisions of subsection (4) 458
of this section. 459
SECTION 3. It is the intent of the Legislature that all 460
full-time professors, associate professors, assistant professors 461
and course instructors of any institution of higher learning or 462
community or junior college receive a salary increase of Seven 463
Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($7,500.00) above their current 464
salaries. 465
SECTION 4. This act shall take effect and be in force from 466
and after July 1, 2026. 467