Gov. proposes 2 percent teacher pay raise

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Gov. Bob McDonnell is proposing 2 percent pay raises for public school teachers conditioned on more strenuous teacher assessment standards and a longer probationary period for new hires.

McDonnell is asking the General Assembly to budget nearly $59 million for the fiscal year beginning July 1 for pay raises.

The raises also would apply to principals, librarians, guidance counselors and teachers' aides.

But the raises are tied to passage of an Education Fairness Act that stretches teacher probationary periods from three to five years and makes it easier to define a teacher as incompetent.