Treasurer Pack to push for teacher pay raises during West Virginia legislative session

by Lori Kersey, West Virginia Watch
November 17, 2025

West Virginia State Treasurer Larry Pack is pushing lawmakers to increase teacher salaries during the upcoming legislative session. 

Pack said on Monday he’s backing legislation that would have all teachers in the state making at least $50,000. Teachers who already make that amount should get a $2,000 raise, he said. 

“We have to address the quality of public education in public schools,” Pack said. “And one way we can do that is with competitive teacher salaries. We want the best public schools, better outcomes, and phenomenal teachers. We have to pay them a competitive salary.”

Pack said he wants the teacher pay raises to be in effect by July 2026. He’d like the proposed raises to mimic a program that Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders did in Arkansas. 

“It’s really worked well for them,” Pack said. “They showed the lead on how to do that, how to invest in public education and put that money back in the classroom, put it in the pockets of our teachers. We really need to get this done. We need to get it done quick.”

West Virginia has the lowest teacher pay in the country. State workers — including teachers — saw modest pay raises under Gov. Jim Justice. Gov. Patrick Morrisey called for teacher pay raises during his first state of the state address. State lawmakers last year rejected a bill that would have tied teacher pay to the home values in the counties where they live. 

Teacher pay raises were one of four legislative priorities for 2026 that Pack announced at a news conference on Monday.

Pack said he would also ask state lawmakers not to change a law that will open up the state’s school voucher program to more families during the 2026-2027 school year. Unless lawmakers change the program, all families in the state will be eligible for the Hope Scholarship during the 2026 school year. The program provides about $5,000 per student to families who enroll their student in private schools or teach them at home. 

“We believe it is crucial that the Legislature and the governor resist any temptation to roll back universal eligibility,” Pack said. 

According to estimates by Pack’s office, the Hope Scholarship will need around $245 million for the next year. Currently, the program is open to students enrolling in kindergarten, those who have been enrolled in a state public school for the year previous to when they’re seeking the scholarship and those enrolled in a public school for at least 45 calendar days at the time they apply. 

“I know that many debate the cost benefit of the program, but the reality is that Hope is truly changing lives in the Mountain State,” Pack said. “We will continue to fight for those who utilize the program and advocate for education as a whole. Moving forward here today, I’m vowing to work against any effort to limit access to the program.”

No tax on overtime, tips

Pack said he would again push for the state to follow President Donald Trump’s lead and eliminate its income tax on tips and overtime. In October, Pack called on Morrisey to call a special legislative session to eliminate the taxes. 

Pack called eliminating tips and overtax time a “workers’ tax cut.”

“We have done a lot of state tax cuts in West Virginia for big business people, but these are for workers,” he said. “These are for nurses. These are for waitresses. These are for the guys and gals working on construction projects.”

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which Trump signed into law this summer, cut federal taxes on tips and overtime. According to the IRS, workers of certain occupations can deduct tips up to $25,000 annually during tax years 2025 through 2028.

Workers who receive overtime pay may also deduct the pay that exceeds their regular rate of pay — for example, the “half” in “time and a half” pay, up to $12,500 annually or $25,000 for joint filers. 

Policy analysts say the tax cuts are popular, but few benefit from them. About 3% of households will benefit from the deduction for tipped income in 2026, according to the Tax Policy Center, a joint venture of the Urban Institute and Brookings Institution. 

About 9% of workers will pay on average $1,400 less on their overtime as well, according to the Tax Policy Center. 

Pack said he would also prioritize:

• Increasing local control of schools by loosening timelines and requirements for reduction in force (RIF) and transfer of personnel and greater autonomy on how the state portion of the school aid formula can be spent
• A bill that aims to protect the rightful owners’ unclaimed property benefits and prevent increased predatory practices by out of state companies that try to take advantage of West Virginia citizens
• A constitutional amendment that limits anyone in the roles of secretary of state, auditor, state treasurer, commissioner of agriculture, or attorney general to three consecutive terms 

The regular session of the West Virginia Legilsature is scheduled to begin Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026.

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West Virginia Watch is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. West Virginia Watch maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Leann Ray for questions: info@westvirginiawatch.com.