TEACHERS/SALARY: Provides relative to public school teacher compensation (OR INCREASE GF EX See Note)

HB 558, the "Teacher Pay Modernization Act," requires Louisiana school districts and charter schools to gradually increase teacher salaries to close the gap between their average pay and the Southern Regional Education Board's average. School districts must reduce their salary gap by 25% by 2027-2028, 50% by 2028-2029, 75% by 2029-2030, and fully align with the regional average by 2030-2031. The bill mandates annual reports tracking district salaries, statewide averages, and regional comparisons, and specifies that state funds allocated for this purpose must be used solely for permanent base salary increases - not benefits, bonuses, or operating costs. It directly affects all public school governing authorities (including charter schools) and requires them to adjust salary schedules to meet these phased targets.