Bill Text: VA SJR81 | 2017 | Regular Session | Prefiled
Bill Title: Teacher salary scale; JLARC to study compression in local school divisions, etc.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2016-12-02 - Left in Rules [SJR81 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2017-SJR81-Prefiled.html
WHEREAS, pursuant to Article VIII, Section 1 of the Constitution of Virginia, the General Assembly is committed to ensuring that an educational program of high quality is established and maintained in the Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, a high-quality teacher workforce is paramount to meeting the educational goals of the General Assembly and the Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, compression in the teacher salary scale of many local school divisions has made recruiting and retaining a high-quality teacher workforce increasingly difficult; and
WHEREAS, addressing teacher salary compression will improve the quality of candidates hired and reduce teacher turnover; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission be directed to study compression in the teacher salary scale in local school divisions, analyze the effect of compression on teacher recruitment and retention, and identify necessary adjustments.
In conducting its study, the Joint Legislative Audit and
Review Commission shall (i) evaluate the teacher salary scale of each local
school division, (ii) conduct a market peer comparison for each local school
division and the Commonwealth as a whole, (iii) identify school divisions where
compression needs to be addressed, (iv) identify the necessary changes to
address salary compression in the relevant school divisions;, and (v) consider other issues
and make other recommendations it deems relevant.
Technical assistance shall be provided to the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission by all local school divisions and the Department of Education. All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission for this study, upon request.
The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission shall complete its meetings by November 30, 2016, and the chairman shall submit to the Division of Legislative Automated Systems an executive summary of its findings and recommendations no later than the first day of the 2017 Regular Session of the General Assembly. The executive summary shall state whether the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission intends to submit to the General Assembly and the Governor a report of its findings and recommendations for publication as a House or Senate document. The executive summary and report shall be submitted as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports and shall be posted on the General Assembly's website.