NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP/WMOT) — Gov. Bill Haslam devoted half of his State of the State speech to education and again this year promised Tennessee teachers a pay raise.
The Republican governor announced Monday evening that he’s included $100 million dollars in the upcoming budget to fund a 4 percent salary increase for teachers. Haslam also announced that he’ll be submitting legislation to make other changes teachers have been asking for.
“The alignment of what they’re teaching with our year end assessment, also, having the Department of Education provide more information about the annual tests so that they can better prepare their students every year.”
Haslam also said he would propose that legislators make changes to the way Tennessee teachers are evaluated and would work to improve communication between the state and educators.
Haslam had planned to increase teacher salaries in 2013, but cut the raise out of the budget when state revenue failed to meet expectations.