Maine moves toward hiking minimum teacher salary to $40,000

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — A bill to increase Maine's minimum teacher salary from $30,000 to $40,000 starting in 2020 is moving ahead in the Democratic-led Legislature.

The House voted 86-56 on party lines Tuesday in support of passing Democratic Sen. Rebecca Millet's bill . Democratic Gov. Janet Mills' two-year budget proposes funding the proposal, which faces more votes.

The bill also calls for more mentoring for teachers and says a teacher's salary can't stay at the minimum for over two years.

Mills' budget would provide $10 million for the estimated cost of raising the minimum salary in the 2020-2021 school year. The state would then cover 66% of salary increases in school year 2021-2022 and 33% in 2022-2023.

Taxpayers would shoulder the rest of costs, including schools that raise teacher salaries above $40,000.