By Patrick Baron

BLOOMINGTON – As Illinois examines a measure that would raise minimum wage salaries for teachers to $40,000, a local administrator says it may not go over well in some districts.

Regional Superintendent of Schools Mark Jontry, who oversees schools in McLean, DeWitt, Livingston, and Logan counties, said the proposal could spell trouble for some districts, possibly creating tighter budgets in those districts.

“The concern that is coming from administrators and school boards is that it’s going to take away their ability to manage some of their expenses and negotiate with their teachers in that regard,” Jontry explained.

Jontry added while school districts are appreciative of the work teachers put in on a daily basis, it comes down to what dollars and cents districts are able to afford.

“If you’re going to set that as the minimum, that is going to cascade all the way throughout the salary schedule. It’s just not simply additional money for new teachers,” said Jontry. “This isn’t to say we don’t value or would want to pay that, but at the end of the day you have a finite amount of money.”

Jontry noted recent legislation passed by Governor Bruce Rauner that creates additional wiggle room for hiring substitute teachers that also expands the amount of days substitutes teachers can be in classrooms is a helpful way to combat the state’s teacher shortage.

Patrick Baron can be reached at [email protected].