WV teacher pay raises tied to county home values

West Virginia lawmakers are discussing a new bill that ties teacher pay raises to median home prices in each county. This plan aims to help attract and keep teachers in the state, which has the lowest teacher salaries in the country. Under this proposal, teachers in wealthier areas, like Jefferson County, could see significant salary increases. For example, a teacher's salary could potentially double to over $101,000. However, only 25 counties would be eligible for these raises, leaving out teachers in many poorer counties. Sen. Eric Tarr, who sponsors the bill, believes this approach will help address the state's ongoing teacher shortage. The bill proposes to use a market-based pay rate to be determined by a formula created by the state's board of education. Critics, including Sen. Craig Hart, have expressed concerns. Hart, a teacher from Mingo County, noted that his area has an average home price of just $64,000. He worries that this plan would not support teachers in impoverished counties, leading to a wider disparity in pay. The estimated cost of implementing these pay raises would be $183 million, which may complicate the bill's approval. Lawmakers are also facing a budget deficit of $400 million. Officials in border counties have reported losing teachers to nearby states like Ohio and Kentucky, highlighting the need for a pay increase to retain educators. The bill is currently pending review by the Senate Finance committee.