Teacher salaries in Connecticut and nationwide have not kept pace with those of college graduates in other professions. Despite declining K-12 student enrollment, Connecticut is facing a shortage of teachers in key subject areas. Current teacher shortages recently sparked renewed interest among advocates and policymakers in increasing teacher salaries as a means of attracting more people to the teaching profession.
During the Connecticut General Assembly’s 2024 regular legislative session, multiple proposals, including S.B. 381 and H.B. 5348, were introduced to establish minimum starting salaries for teachers and paraeducators in hopes of addressing shortages and compensation disparities. Although these legislative initiatives were not enacted, the challenges of teacher shortages and low salaries persist.
However, Connecticut has faced teacher shortages and district pay disparities before, and responded by passing the state’s Education Enhancement Act (EEA) in 1986.
Prior to the EEA, there was no standardized minimum teacher salary in Connecticut. Pay levels varied widely between districts, which contributed to significant disparities, especially in lower-income areas. In 1986, the General Assembly passed the EEA, which aimed to reduce salary disparities by offering districts additional state educational aid as an incentive to meet minimum salary targets, rather than providing direct state funding for teacher pay increases.
Citation
School and State Finance Project. (2025). Education Enhancement Act (1986) & Teacher Salaries. Southington, CT: Author. Retrieved from https://files.schoolstatefinance.org/hubfs/Reports/Education%20Enhancement
%20Act%20and%20Teacher%20Salaries.pdf.