MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin Democrats on Monday unveiled a package of eight bills focused on addressing the state’s teacher shortage in K-12 schools.
One bill would establish a minimum salary for teachers, while another would give teachers a $7,000 bonus every five years.
Peggy Wirtz-Olsen, the president of the Wisconsin Education Association Council, said teachers’ workloads have dramatically increased and the COVID-19 pandemic has only made things worse.
“Educators are at a breaking point. Students need so much, but there are not enough of us to meet their needs and impossible demands are driving great educators out of the profession,” she said.
During a news conference, Sen. Jeff Smith (D-Brunswick) called on the legislature to take up the bills and use some of the surplus funds left over from the state’s budget to cover its costs.
“Teachers don’t punch a clock. Teachers do what they know they need to do to prepare the next generation for what they’re going to encounter in life,” he said.
Other bills in the package would create a pledge allowing certain education loans to be repaid and give student teachers a base pay of $15 per hour.
It’s unclear how much the proposals would cost.
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