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Bill

HB 279

Teachers; timeline and process for increasing salaries to at least national average.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Bonita Anthony and 15 co-sponsors

Virginia bill requiring state to raise teacher salaries to national average within specified timeline, addressing workforce retention but raising fiscal impact concerns.

Fiscal Impact statement From CLG (1/28/2026 11:02 am)
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Bill Summary · HB 279

Legislative bill overview

HB 279 establishes a mandated timeline and process for Virginia to increase teacher salaries to match or exceed the national average. The bill appears to create specific benchmarks and accountability mechanisms for salary increases across the state's public education system.

Why is this important

Teacher compensation directly affects education quality, workforce retention, and classroom stability. Virginia currently ranks below the national average for teacher salaries, which impacts recruitment and retention of qualified educators. This bill addresses a persistent policy challenge affecting thousands of educators and millions of students statewide.

Potential points of contention

  • Fiscal burden: The Department of Planning and Budget and other fiscal agencies have issued impact statements, suggesting significant budget implications that may require tax increases or reallocation from other state priorities
  • Implementation timeline: Mandating salary increases to national averages by a specific date could create feasibility challenges for school districts with limited budgets or force state-level funding mandates
  • Defining "national average": Questions may arise about which specific metrics constitute the national average and how adjustments for cost-of-living variations are handled across different Virginia regions

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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